On Thursday, Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan was named the winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an honor awarded every year to the NHL player who best “exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”

Sometimes, a sports story can warm your heart, like when Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan got a surprise visit from Meredith Gaudreau May 5.

Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan was brought to tears accepting the NHL’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the wife of his late friend and teammate, Johnny Gaudreau.