While there's been a lot of disappointment on the ice for the New Jersey Devils, there is some good news worth mentioning. Defenseman Brenden Dillon has been named the team's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given to the player who has exemplified perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication throughout the season. One player on each team is nominated by members of their local chapter.
There's no one more deserving than you, Dilly!
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 8, 2026
This morning, the New Jersey chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association announced Brenden Dillon is the club's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee.
The winner is selected by a poll of all PHWA chapters at the end of the regular season. Dillon, 35, has certainly shown his fair share of perseverance in his time in the Garden State. In his first season with the Devils, 2024-25, Dillon was injured colliding awkwardly with William Carrier in Game 1 of the team's first-round playoff matchup vs the Carolina Hurricanes. He tried to return in that game and keep playing despite the injury, but was ultimately told not to and missed the rest of the playoffs.
Dillon later revealed that he had artificial disc replacement surgery due to a neck injury. In 25-26, Dillion has come back stronger than ever. He's played in every game this year, posting three goals and 15 points. He also reached 1,000 career games on December 1st, 2025. It's a true testament to the kind of player Dillon has been throughout his career and with the Devils' organization.
Brenden Dillon deserves his Bill Masterton Trophy nomination
In that game, Dillon suffered a scary injury, one that many thought could cost him most of the season. He returned in just a couple of games. He's been one of the Devils who stays on the ice by any means necessary, and with how many injuries the Devils faced this season, that was huge for them.
The defenseman is in the second year of a three-year contract he signed with New Jersey in the summer of 2024.
The last time a player on the Devils won the Masterton Trophy was back in 2018 when Brian Boyle played most of the season while fighting cancer. The only other winner in team history was current broadcaster Ken Daneyko, who won the award in 2000.