Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan was brought to tears accepting the NHL’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the wife of his late friend and teammate, Johnny Gaudreau.

On Thursday, Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan was named the winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an honor awarded every year to the NHL player who best “exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”

On Thursday, the NHL announced Monahan as the winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which honors the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” The 30-year-old center, a 12-year NHL veteran, embodies all of those traits.