RALEIGH, NC – The Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) today announced that Hurricanes right wing Erik Cole has been selected as Carolina’s nominee for the 2010-11 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. The winner is selected in a poll of all chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season.

Cole, 32 has scored 26 goals and added 26 assists (52 points) this season for the Hurricanes, ranking third on the team in goals and fourth in points. The Oswego, NY, native is tied for fourth among all NHL skaters with nine game-winning goals, and 14 of his 26 goals this season have come in the third period or overtime. If Cole skates in the Hurricanes’ regular-season finale tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, it will mark the first time in his nine-year NHL career that he has skated in all 82 games of the season.

Originally selected by the Hurricanes in the third round, 71st overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Cole has totaled 184 goals, 206 assists (390 points) and 557 penalty minutes in 619 career NHL games with Carolina and Edmonton. He ranks eighth in franchise history in games played (556), ninth in points (363), 10th in goals (168) and 11th in assists (195).