Nearly a year ago, the New York Rangers eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 of a second-round series via a hat trick by Chris Kreider. Eleven months later, things are drastically different for the Metropolitan Division foes.

The 31-year-old Brodzinski, a career journeyman before settling into an NHL role the past two years in New York, earned a nod Wednesday morning as the Rangers’ nominee for the Masterton Trophy, which is given to the player who “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.”