The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. Past winner have included elite stars like Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman, Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu & Gary Roberts. This year too we have three finalists, nominated by their respective teams.

My vote is going for Fernando Pisani.

Pisani, who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2005, suffered a major flare-up of the condition this past summer. His body stopped absorbing food or fluids, and he lost 30 pounds and six pints of blood. He needed blood transfusions and spent most of the summer in and out of the hospital. Despite that he returned to normal life and also returned back to the NHL! He didn’t want the disease to run his life. He had plans for a life that included the NHL and a certain quality of life with his wife, Heidi, and their children.

Progress was slow, but Pisani began skating with the team in November, and amazingly played his first game Dec. 2. He’s played all 47 games since then, totaling 11 goals and 18 points while averaging 16 minutes per night. Not huge numbers but for a player whose own teammates didn’t think that he would be back the same season, its a huge deal. The son of Italian immigrants didn’t just lie back and let his illness ruin his career. He could have chose to be quite about suffering through an unglamorous disease but by speaking about it he has provided some inspiration for his fans & fellow hockey players alike.

That’s why he has my vote.