Flyers center Kevin Hayes is one of three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

The NHL announced Monday that Flyers center Kevin Hayes is a finalist for the 2021-22 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”

New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara and Montréal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price are also Masterton finalists.

Hayes, 30, was selected by the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association as the Flyers’ nominee and is one of the three leading vote-getters among all 32 Masterton candidates in the NHL. The hockey writers vote on the winner.

Hayes faced numerous hardships leading up to and during this past season, all the while maintaining his role as a leader on the Flyers. At the end of the 2020-21 season, Hayes underwent hernia surgery. Then, before training camp on Aug. 23, 2021, he learned that his brother, Jimmy, died at the age of 31.

“I knew right from the start that it was going to be difficult playing this year, but it’s something my brother definitely wanted me to do,” Hayes said last month. “So, without a doubt, I was definitely going to play.”

Before the start of the season, Hayes continued to have injury problems and required abdominal surgery on Sept. 21. He made his season debut on Nov. 13 against the Dallas Stars and scored his first NHL goal of the season the following game against the Calgary Flames on Nov. 16, celebrating with a tribute to his brother.

However, Hayes was knocked out of the lineup after two games because of injury and tried to return again on Dec. 1 against the New York Rangers. He stayed in the lineup for 18 games, registering two goals and five assists for seven points, until doctors discovered that Hayes had a blood infection.

After a third surgery to his groin to treat the infection on Jan. 18, Hayes rejoined the lineup permanently on March 5. In his final 28 games, Hayes notched seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points, which led the Flyers in scoring during that time frame. He averaged 19 minutes, 25 seconds of ice time in that span.

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“To return from both the physical and emotional challenges he faced this season speaks volumes about his character as a person, but also his commitment to our club and to his teammates,” general manager Chuck Fletcher said via release last month. “Kevin not only fought through many issues during the year, he performed at a high level and was one of our best players each time he was in the lineup.”

The Flyers have had finalists for the Masterton over the last three years, with winger Oskar Lindblom making the cut in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Lindblom won the Masterton in 2020-21 after he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in December 2019 and returned to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2020.

In the history of the NHL, no team has had players win the Masterton in consecutive seasons.

Four Flyers total have won the Masterton — Lindblom (2021), Ian Laperrière (2011), Tim Kerr (1989), and Bob Clarke (1972).

The winners of each NHL award will be disclosed during an awards show that will take place between Games 2 and 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Masterton was first presented in 1968 to commemorate former North Stars center Bill Masterton, who died on Jan. 15, 1968, as the result of an on-ice head injury.