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NEW YORK -- Left wing Jason Blake of the Toronto Maple Leafs, defenseman Chris Chelios of the Detroit Red Wings and right wing Fernando Pisani of the Edmonton Oilers were selected Friday as finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
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The award, given out by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, is presented annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Blake was diagnosed in October with chronic myelogenous leukemia, a rare but treatable form of cancer, and still completed the season as one of only three players to appear in all 82 Maple Leafs games.
The 46-year-old Chelios completed his 24th NHL regular season.
Pisani missed the first 26 games of the regular season due to ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammation of the large intestine, but returned to the lineup in early December and played all of Edmonton's remaining games.
The Masterton Trophy winner will be announced June 12.
