If you already know about the controversy, then I encourage you to skip to the paragraph that starts "So earlier.."

If you don't, let me lay it out for you: The Bill Masterton trophy according to the NHL is -

"An annual award under the trusteeship of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association and is given to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey."

The PHWA Buffalo chapter (headed by everybody's favorite Buffalo News writer, Mike Harrington) nominated Ryan O'Reilly as the Buffalo Sabres representative. This has come under fire from a number of media outlets. The criticism might be fair, but popular online column Puck Daddy has been very publicly bashing the decision as it is a character award, and well... ROR did drive into a Tim Horton's intoxicated before the season started.

So earlier today, Harrington published this in the Sunday paper in defense of the Buffalo chapter of the PHWA. In response, Wysh then went on the offensive on twitter with tweets like this against Harrington.

Difference, @BNHarrington, was Scott was feel-good story and you put up guy charged w/ DUI for sportsmanship award pic.twitter.com/Gh8yBxQ7AA — Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 3, 2016

So to summarize:

Harrington: Believes the Masterton is an on-ice award, and that ROR has demonstrated this and that the Buffalo chapter has also validated this.

Wyshnski: Nominating someone for a sportsmanship award in the year they had a DUI in which they hit a building is not what the award is about.

For what it's worth...I agree with Harrington (for what seems the first time ever). It's an on-ice award, and I doubt very much that any other Sabre would personify this award better than ROR.

I think it’s intriguing because it sets precedent on future Masterton nominees. It has, traditionally, been a ‘Comeback Player of the Year Award’ while disregarding the criteria that the Masterton was supposed to embody. Last year that was an emphasis to go back to the criteria, and not simply give it to the player who overcame the worst injury/personal tragedy, which is why Devan Dubnyk won. This will set a precedent for off-ice incidents and nominating for the Masterton. Can/should Patrick Kane be nominated for a sportsmanship award? It’s an intriguing case.

I am sympathetic to the argument that nominating O’Reilly is a bad precedent for the PHWA to have. It creates unwarranted criticism outside the bubble that is the hockey media/crazy fans like us. It’s more likely that a show like PTI, Sports Nation, etc picks up this story to debate in the national media, and it will draw negative attention which will impact the casual fan, or the non-hockey watching audience. However, if you don’t want off-ice troubles to impact the voting then there has to be that caveat written into the award or expressed to those voting for the award. As currently written, I have no problem with ROR receiving this nomination but I do think that it is a terrible PR move.