The Los Angeles chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association announced Thursday that defenseman Willie Mitchell is the Kings’ nominee for the 2014 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The PHWA awards the trophy annually to honor the late North Stars player, who exhibited the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedicati.on to the game of ice hockey. Masterton died as a result of an on-ice injury Jan. 15, 1968.

Mitchell has long exemplified the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey that the Masterton is intended to recognize, most recently with his comeback from a knee injury that forced him to miss all of last season.

In addition to his steady on-ice play, Mitchell also is involved in a number of charities and sits on the board of the Fishing for Kids tournament in his native British Columbia, Canada. The event has generated more than $5 million for children’s charities in the province. He’s also on a board member of the SOS Marine Conservation Foundation, which tries to protect Pacific salmon. In addition, he is a supporter of the Pacific Salmon foundation.

In the past, Mitchell has helped obtain hockey equipment and pay registration fees for kids in and around his hometown of Port McNeill, British Columbia.