Tom Wilson was announced as the Washington Capitals nominee for the 2023 King Clancy Trophy on Tuesday.
The award is given to the player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”
The Capitals, in a tweet, said that Wilson “actively gives back to the community through two player programs as well as by being involved in additional initiatives throughout the season.”
Capitals forward Tom Wilson has been named the club's 2022-23 nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy!@tom_wilso actively gives back to the community through two player programs as well as by being involved in additional initiatives throughout the season.
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) May 9, 2023
Wilson is a top-line winger for the Capitals, who is the team’s physical leader and has served as an alternate captain when called upon.
Off the ice, Wilson leads a charity called 43 Friends — a program that partners with Make-A-Wish to bring less fortunate children and their families to Capitals games. Wilson donates four tickets per game across 20 games during the Capitals’ season. Following each game, Wilson spends time with the families in the Capitals locker room.
Wilson also contributes to Elliot in the Morning’s So Kids Can, which raises funds for a playtime project for homeless children.
The NHL’s full list includes two other former Capitals including Travis Boyd of the Arizona Coyotes and Kevin Shattenkirk of the Anaheim Ducks.
For Wilson, this is his second career nomination for the King Clancy trophy. He was also given the nod in 2019.
Wilson joins John Carlson, who is up for the Masterton Trophy, as the only Capitals players up for an end-of-season award this season.
Here’s the full press release from the NHL:
NHL Announces 32 Team Nominees for 2022-23 King Clancy Memorial Trophy
New This Season, Fans Can Contribute to Charitable Causes Supported by NomineesNEW YORK (May 9, 2023) – The National Hockey League today announced the 32 team nominees for the 2022-23 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is presented “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”
The nominees were selected by their respective NHL teams. The winner will be chosen by a committee of senior NHL executives led by Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. The selection committee will apply the following criteria in determining the finalists and winner:
* Clear and measurable positive impact on the community
* Investment of time and resources
* Commitment to a particular cause or community
* Commitment to the League’s community initiatives
* Creativity of programming
* Use of influence; engagement of othersThe first-place finisher will receive a $25,000 donation to benefit a charity or charities of his choice. The two runners-up each will receive a $5,000 donation to benefit a charity or charities of their choice.
The 2022-23 King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominees are:
Anaheim Ducks: Kevin Shattenkirk
Arizona Coyotes: Travis Boyd
Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron
Buffalo Sabres: Alex Tuch
Calgary Flames: Mikael Backlund
Carolina Hurricanes: Jordan Staal
Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Murphy
Colorado Avalanche: Devon Toews
Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski
Dallas Stars: Jason Robertson
Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin
Edmonton Oilers: Darnell Nurse
Florida Panthers: Aleksander Barkov
Los Angeles Kings: Mikey Anderson
Minnesota Wild: Matt Dumba
Montreal Canadiens: Jordan Harris
Nashville Predators: Juuse Saros
New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes
New York Islanders: Anders Lee
New York Rangers: Jacob Trouba
Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk
Philadelphia Flyers: Scott Laughton
Pittsburgh Penguins: Evgeni Malkin
San Jose Sharks: Luke Kunin
Seattle Kraken: Chris Driedger
St. Louis Blues: Brayden Schenn
Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman
Toronto Maple Leafs: Morgan Rielly
Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson
Vegas Golden Knights: Reilly Smith
Washington Capitals: Tom Wilson
Winnipeg Jets: Blake WheelerSupport of Charitable Causes
For the first time, fans will have an opportunity to contribute directly to some of the charitable causes supported by King Clancy nominees. From May 9 through June 27, 2023, fans can visit http://www.Alltroo.com/KingClancy to donate to fundraisers benefitting charities chosen by the nominated players. Fans who donate will be entered to win exclusive prize experiences provided by each nominated player, such as tickets to a game next season, nominee meet and greets, and signed and game-worn merchandise, with travel arrangements covered, all subject to certain terms and conditions. All fundraisers will close at 11:59 p.m. CT on June 27, 2023.
Alltroo is an online fundraising platform founded by Pittsburgh Penguins left wing and 2018-19 King Clancy Memorial Trophy recipient Jason Zucker, in partnership with the National Hockey League Players’ Association.
History
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy was presented in 1988 by the NHL’s Board of Governors in honor of Frank “King” Clancy, a beloved figure in the League for decades as a player, referee, coach, manager and goodwill ambassador. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and 1958 inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Clancy was voted as one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players during the League’s Centennial Celebration in 2017.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
