It was announced on Wednesday morning (April 8) that the Carolina Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PWHA) has nominated Carolina Hurricanes’ Taylor Hall as their nominee for the 2026 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.
When it comes to the nominations and voting, all 32 chapters of the PWHA select a nominee for their team. After that, there are two rounds of voting, which will start with the initial 32 nominees being voted on by the writers. Following that, the three finalists will be announced.
When it comes to the winner, the second round of voting will take place after the announcement of the three finalists to determine the winner of the award.
Hall’s Stellar 2025-26 Season
In his first full season with the Hurricanes after getting an extension during the playoffs last year, Hall has 17 goals and 46 points in 78 games. The 2018 Hart Trophy winner has been nothing short of explosive after being acquired in the three-team trade last January with the Colorado Avalanche and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Related: Hurricanes Clinch 4th Division Title in 6 Seasons After 6-5 Overtime Win Over Bruins
Fast forward, and Hall signed a three-year, $9.5 million extension to stay in Raleigh through the 2027-28 season. During the 2025-26 season, Hall was paired with Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, and once they were, they became what Rod Brind’Amour has frequently cited as Carolina’s best line.
When asked about playing with the budding 22-year-old players, Hall had nothing but nice things to say about his linemates. “Everyone has a role, everyone has a part in it. But we feel like we’re maybe that hidden element as we go forward in the playoffs here for us.”
It is also not lost on Hall how impactful it has been for his career since joining the Hurricanes in January 2025. More importantly, this season in particular has been a resurgence of what has been a solid career for the 34-year-old.
“I love it here. I love the group. I love everything that they’ve built. And I’ve tried to come in and just be a part of that. I feel like as the year has gone on, this year, I’ve gotten a bigger and bigger role, and it’s been a lot of fun.”
Related: Hurricanes’ Taylor Hall Has Found a Career Resurgence in Raleigh
Hall played part of last season and the beginning of this season on the fourth line. After some line shuffling and being placed on the second line with Blake and Stankoven, along with joining the second power-play unit, Hall has found his game once again.
On top of being nominated for the Masterton Trophy, Hall won the Josef Vasicek Award, which is being recognized for the players’ cooperation with the local media. The award was named after the 1998 fourth-rounder who played six seasons in Carolina. He was part of the 2006 Stanley Cup team. Vasicek unfortunately lost his life in 2011 during the plane crash that killed 45 people in the Kontinental Hockey League flight in Russia.
Upon hearing he won the award, Hall stated, “I think the media and the fans are a huge part of the game, and everyone’s on their phone these days looking at what people are saying and what the articles are, and that’s all you guys. So I have a lot of respect for that, and I’ll always be able to talk about hockey.”
It goes to show why Hall is well respected not only in Carolina, but around the league as well. After an up-and-down couple of seasons with the Blackhawks, Hall has found his footing again in Raleigh as he is going to experience his second playoffs at the Loudest House in the league.
However the rest of the season goes, Hall is more than deserving of the nomination for the Masterton Memorial Trophy and winning the Josef Vasicek Award. He’s a true professional of the game and should be recognized for what he’s done.
