The NHL announced the finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and former Ranger Jed Ortmeyer is among the finalists. The Bill Masterton is given to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

Here is the press release about Ortmeyer:

The veteran forward not only has to work hard each shift to ensure he has a place in the NHL, but also battles a challenging health condition that requires daily attention. At some point each day, Ortmeyer must use a needle to inject a blood thinner directly into his stomach to combat a hereditary blood-clotting disorder that has threatened not only his hockey

By David Pollak

Hockey players establish daily routines, but Jed Ortmeyer's is significantly different from anyone else's in the Sharks' locker room.

Because at some point each day, Ortmeyer must use a needle to inject a blood thinner directly into his stomach to combat a hereditary blood-clotting disorder that has threatened not only his hockey career but also his life.

The process is tricky and the timing must be precise. The blood thinner, Lovenox, needs to be in his system during the down time when he's not on the ice. And it needs to be out of his system when he plays or practices so that a hard check or a high stick does not cause fatal