Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan expressed gratitude Tuesday for his selection as the team's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy after enduring a tough year off the ice.

"Obviously I'm honored. I think it's a great thing and a silver lining for the year that I went through," Ryan told team reporter Craig Medaglia.

He added: "To be recognized for some of the work that I put in during the months leading up to my comeback is a very small but fulfilling thing for me."

The trophy is awarded annually to the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." Each team's nominee was announced Tuesday.

Ryan took a leave of absence from hockey in November to enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for an alcohol issue he said he dealt with for years. He returned to action on Feb. 25 after being in the program for over three months.

The 33-year-old also said he wasn't sure he'd be able to play again when he left the team in November.

"Right when I left was the hardest time because I knew leaving that I might have played my last game in the NHL. That was the hardest thing to swallow and to get over," Ryan said.

"I doubted that I'd be able to get my body where I needed to be to play," he added. "I have to thank the staff because not only was I able to do that but I was in the best shape of my life for an entire month before I got back up to game speed. I did worry about it but I had an incredible group around me."

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The newly formed Hockey Diversity Alliance is independent of the NHL, but the group's co-head, Evander Kane, hopes to form some sort of partnership with the league.

"We want to work with the league in order to establish and create this necessary change in our game and the culture of our game," Kane said, according to The Point Hockey's Sheng Peng. "It's imperative that we work with the league in order to accomplish some of those goals."

Former NHL defenseman Akim Aliu is the group's other co-head. The rest of the executive committee is made up of active and former black NHLers, including Trevor Daley, Wayne Simmonds, Matt Dumba, Joel Ward, and Chris Stewart.

The alliance's mission is to combat racism in hockey, as well as in society as a whole.

"What we seek from the league is really an ear," Kane continued. "Somebody who can really listen to some of the things that we want to implement, policies we think that can help change the present time and moving on into the future. That starts with the NHL, trickling down to minor hockey. There are things that the NHL can bring to the table. We feel very strongly, as an alliance, there's a lot we can bring to the table, knowledge when it comes to rectifying a lot of these issues."

The NHL appeared to show support for the alliance with a string of retweets Monday, but the league has not formally announced whether it will work with the group.

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Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares returned to the ice with several teammates Tuesday as part of Phase 2 of the NHL's return-to-play plan.

"Going back to the rink, seeing each other - even with things being different, it's such a breath of fresh air," Tavares said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Limited to the six-player maximum, Tavares skated in a group that included winger Ilya Mikheyev, defenseman Jake Muzzin, and goaltender Jack Campbell. The 6-foot-1 pivot also expects Mitch Marner and Cody Ceci to join the club Thursday.

Most players around the league have not been able to skate since the NHL suspended play March 12, and Tavares stressed how crucial it is for his club to take advantage of these early summer skates.

"Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we can take steps to play together (as a full team)," Tavares said, according to the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby. "We have to benefit from this opportunity to maximize (training). It’s not like we’re going to have four preseason games. We need to perform right off the bat."

Tavares said the small group of Leafs and a few coaches are "brainstorming" different drills to help maximize the 45-minute ice time limit allotted under Phase 2 protocol.

The Maple Leafs are slated to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in a best-of-five qualifying series under the NHL's 24-team playoff format.

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Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom, St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, and Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan are among the 31 finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the Professional Hockey Writers' Association announced Tuesday.

Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma - a type of cancer that occurs in bones or soft tissue - in December. The 23-year-old missed the rest of the regular season. The Flyers rallied around him, and their fans gave the blue-liner a standing ovation when he attended a game in January. As of late April, Lindblom was scheduled to undergo his final cancer treatments.

Bouwmeester suffered a cardiac episode during a game between the Blues and Anaheim Ducks, a February contest that was postponed as a result. The 36-year-old rearguard later underwent surgery to implant a defibrillator, which restored his heart's normal rhythm. He also missed the remainder of the regular season.

Ryan took a leave from the Senators to enter the NHL and NHLPA's player assistance program in November. The winger later revealed he had a panic attack and was battling alcohol abuse. Ryan, who turned 33 in March, returned from the program in February and notched four goals in eight games, including a hat trick against the Vancouver Canucks.

The NHL awards the Masterton Trophy to the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." The PHWA annually votes on the award and narrows down the list to three finalists before the winner is determined.

Here's the complete list of 2019-20 nominees:

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With the NHL preparing for a 24-team playoff, theScore will be counting down the top 50 players who will be taking part in this unique event, as voted on by our hockey editors. We'll reveal 10 players every day until the top 10 is unveiled on June 10.

50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

30. Alex Pietrangelo, Blues

Regardless of where Pietrangelo plays beyond 2019-20, the Blues captain is one of the NHL's most reliable defensemen and should make a significant impact this postseason. The pending unrestricted free agent played a major role in his team's Stanley Cup victory last June, and he's shown few signs of slowing down at 30 years of age.

29. Taylor Hall, Coyotes

Hall has only played in five playoff games through his 10-year NHL career. When he arrived in Arizona earlier this season, he had his eyes set solely on making the playoffs once again. The former Hart Trophy winner will look to make some noise in the Coyotes' play-in series and get another taste of postseason hockey before entering the offseason as one of the league's most sought-after free agents.

28. Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs

Marner missed a slew of games with an ankle injury this season, but he played at a pace nearly identical to last year's 94-point output when healthy. The crafty winger is a threat at even strength or on the power play and logs big minutes every game. His newfound success alongside Auston Matthews on the Maple Leafs' top line could be the ingredient the team has been missing throughout its recent run of playoff futility.

27. Tyler Seguin, Stars

Seguin may have endured a dramatic drop in production and a career-low 6.9 shooting percentage this season, but he still paced the defense-minded Stars in scoring. The 6-foot-1 pivot also dominated in the faceoff circle, winning 58.2% of his draws to set a new career high and rank fifth in the league. With his elite combination of speed, skill, and developed two-way acumen, there's no questioning Seguin's status as a game-breaking talent.

26. Brayden Point, Lightning

With Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov in the fold, Point is often the forgotten weapon in Tampa. After following his 41-goal, 92-point breakout campaign in 2018-19 with another stellar season, the 24-year-old has proven his big year was no fluke. The offense is just one side of the story with Point, though. He's definitely the best defensive player among the Lightning's "big three" up front, receiving a handful of Selke Trophy votes in each of the last two seasons.

25. Elias Pettersson, Canucks

Pettersson is one of the most electric and entertaining players in the league. The dynamic Canucks forward continued to improve this season following last year's Calder Trophy-winning campaign; he matched his rookie point production in three fewer games, increased his goals-per-game rate, and fired more shots on net. The sky is the limit for the supremely skilled Swede.

24. Ryan O'Reilly, Blues

O'Reilly stepped up big time last season during his first year with the Blues. He took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after helping St. Louis to a Stanley Cup victory, and he also claimed the Selke Trophy as the league's top defensive forward during the regular season. One of the league's best dual-threat centers, O'Reilly can do serious damage on both sides of the puck and will surely be looking for a repeat MVP performance this postseason.

23. Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes

Aho doesn't get the same league-wide attention as some other first-line centers in these rankings, but he's as capable as they come in any facet of the game. The 22-year-old plays in all situations, has sterling underlying stats, and posted a new career high in goals this season. His impact on the Hurricanes' success on a nightly basis is immense.

22. Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers

The Cats' crafty winger is one of the game's elite playmakers and was the offensive catalyst for a Panthers team that finished sixth in goals per game (3.30) this season. On pace for 92 points over a full 82-game season, Huberdeau looked poised to become just the second player in franchise history to record consecutive 90-point campaigns. He ranks seventh in assists and eighth in points among all skaters since the beginning of 2017-18 and is finally getting the recognition he deserves as an elite talent.

21. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning

The league's reigning Vezina Trophy winner, Vasilevskiy is the best goalie in the league - at least according to these rankings. Even when he's out of position, the 25-year-old has the rare ability to make acrobatic saves that leave fans wondering, "how does he move like that?" But the best goalies of all time get it done in the playoffs. Vasilevskiy's .856 save percentage in four postseason games against the Blue Jackets last year isn't going to cut it for a team with championship aspirations.

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With the NHL preparing for a 24-team playoff, theScore will be counting down the top 50 players who will be taking part in this unique event, as voted on by our hockey editors. We'll reveal 10 players every day until the top 10 is unveiled on June 10.

50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

20. John Tavares, Maple Leafs

Tavares is as consistent as they come from a production standpoint, having played near or above a point-per-game pace in each of his last three seasons. The star pivot's more talented teammate rightfully owns a higher spot in these rankings, but the Maple Leafs captain deserves recognition as one of the best centers in the game.

19. Mark Stone, Golden Knights

One of the NHL's most intelligent wingers, Stone can do it all - whether it's scoring goals, dishing assists, or shutting opponents down defensively. After logging six goals and six assists in seven postseason games with the Golden Knights last year, Stone managed to keep the ball rolling during the 2019-20 regular season. He'll need to be at the top of his game once again if Vegas wants to make some noise in the playoffs.

18. John Carlson, Capitals

Carlson was the league's top offensive defenseman this season, and he's likely to win the Norris Trophy thanks to his eye-popping production. A legitimate game-breaker on the back end, he's a key cog in the Capitals' second-ranked offense that should see its firepower carry over despite a lengthy layoff.

17. Steven Stamkos, Lightning

The Lightning captain is fully recovered from core muscle surgery and will be itching to make a major impact after he had another strong individual season cut short. Armed with one of the most lethal shots in the game, Stamkos is a perennial scoring threat. The native of Ontario hit the 25-goal mark for the 10th time in his career this season to join the 400-goal club.

16. Aleksander Barkov, Panthers

Barkov regressed offensively this year after collecting 96 points in 2018-19, but it's his ability at both ends of the ice that makes him one of the game's elite players. He isn't overly physical despite his 6-foot-3 frame, but he does have an excellent stick. He finished second in the league with 100 takeaways last season and ranked 30th with 51 in 2019-20. The Panthers captain has finished top five in Selke Trophy voting each of the last two campaigns.

15. Roman Josi, Predators

It appears a significant portion of the hockey world has finally caught on to Josi's superstar skill set, but he still seems a bit underappreciated. The Predators blue-liner ranked third in the NHL in average ice time this season and finished tied with Alex Pietrangelo for second in goals by a defenceman; Zach Werenski was the only rearguard to net more tallies in 2019-20.

14. Artemi Panarin, Rangers

Few players were better than Panarin in 2019-20. He turned in an MVP-worthy debut campaign with the Rangers, notching 20 more points than the next-highest scorer on his team. All eyes will be on the Russian winger in the expanded postseason, and the Rangers may ultimately go only as far as Panarin can take them.

13. Victor Hedman, Lightning

If one was building a team from scratch and had to start with a defenseman, Hedman would be the man for the job. The towering Swede is the most complete blue-liner in the game, imposing his will on a nightly basis on both sides of the puck. The Bolts' forwards get most of the credit, but don't discount the impact of their No. 1 rearguard.

12. Brad Marchand, Bruins

Marchand continues to be a versatile force for one of the league's most consistent clubs. The Bruins' ultimate pest ranked second in the league in drawn penalties this season and plays a vital role on both special teams units. Seemingly improving with age, the 32-year-old was on pace to become the first Bruins player since Adam Oates in the early '90s to post back-to-back 100-point campaigns before the league suspended play in March.

11. Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs

Matthews took a major step forward in his development this season. He tied for the league lead with 35 goals at even strength and also tied a career high with 12 power-play markers. Without the puck, he tied for first among all NHL forwards with 78 takeaways. He's easily one of the most dangerous snipers in the game, and he's beginning to masters his defensive craft. He'll need to be a catalyst for the Maple Leafs if they hope to enjoy a deep playoff run.

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Xavier Gutierrez's primary task as the new president and CEO of the Arizona Coyotes will be finding a way to keep the team in the desert.

"(Owner Alex Meruelo and I) are very focused on creating a sustainable long-term solution that keeps this team at home, here, in Arizona," he said following his hiring Monday. "This will be an area that I am especially focused on and will be taking the lead on to find the right solution."

The Coyotes ranked 28th out of 31 teams in average attendance this season, according to ESPN. The franchise hasn't finished better than 28th since 2006-07 when they ranked 24th. In December, Forbes valued the team at $300 million - the lowest in the league.

The location of the Coyotes' home rink - Gila River Arena - has played a part in the team's poor attendance figures. It's located in Glendale, which is about a 20-30 minute drive from downtown Phoenix. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said last year that Gila River Arena "is not viable long-term."

The Coyotes unveiled a design for a joint facility in Tempe with Arizona State in 2016, but the plans folded after the university ended negotiations.

Meruelo officially purchased the Coyotes last July, becoming the first person of Hispanic heritage to serve as an NHL chairman. Gutierrez, who says he's been business associates with Meruelo for "over a decade," became the first Latino in NHL history to hold the titles of president and CEO.

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