Jordan Eberle's Comeback From an Injury Nobody in Hockey Had Ever Seen Before Is Why He's the Kraken's Masterton Nominee

Jordan Eberle is having the kind of season that reminds you why this guy wears the "C" on his chest. The Kraken captain just got nominated for the Masterton Trophy, and his path back to this point is the kind of story that makes you appreciate what these players go through to get back on the ice.

What Makes Eberle's Injury So Rare

Here's the thing: in November, Eberle slid into the boards and suffered a separated pubic symphysis joint. It sounds bad because it was. And get this, Seattle's medical staff could not find a single hockey player who had ever had this injury before. Not one. So they had to look outside the sport entirely, borrowing knowledge from rugby where the injury shows up slightly more often. Two days before his wife gave birth to their third child, Eberle went under the knife for surgery that had basically no NHL playbook.

He was immobile for a month. Bed to wheelchair to crutches to walking to skating. He worried he wouldn't be the same player when he finally made it back. But three months after surgery, he hit his return date almost exactly on schedule and finished the 2024-25 season strong, posting three goals and 12 assists across 25 games.

The Numbers Back Up the Story

This season, Eberle leads the Kraken in goals (25) and points (53). He's missed only two games. That's not just a comeback, that's dominance. The Masterton Trophy goes to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game, and Eberle's journey from a medical mystery to team captain leading the scoring race is exactly what that award represents.

Every team gets to nominate one player, and the Professional Hockey Writers' Association votes on the winner. The trophy itself carries heavy weight in this league, named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die from an on-ice injury back in 1968.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.