Jonathan Toews named Blackhawks nominee for 2020 King Clancy Memorial Trophy

The Blackhawks named center Jonathan Toews as their nominee for the 2020 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is awarded “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

Toews’ work in the community is aligned with the Jonathan Toews Foundation, which is fully founded by him. The Foundation is in the third year of its indoor agriculture education program with Green Bronx Machine and Chicago Public Schools. Toews was named one of Chicago Magazine’s 2019 “Chicagoans of the Year” for his program.

Toews also donated $100,000 to the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund through his foundation. The Blackhawks Foundation and its fan donation match helped raised $300,000 with Toews for the fund.

In the summer, Toews took a stance against racial injustice after the murder of George Floyd by police officers. He also partnered with several other Chicago professional athletes, local youth and Chicago Police Department officers for peace circles with former Bears player Sam Acho and By the Hand Club for Kids, an after-school program helping children in under-resourced neighborhoods. The program, along with Toews purchased a liquor store and converted it to a grocery store for healthier food options.

The King Clancy Trophy winner will be selected 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 to determine the the 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 (Hockey is for Everyone, Hockey Fights Cancer, Future Goals, Learn to Play, NHL Green, etc.)
• Creativity of programming
• Use of influence; engagement of others

A Chicago player hasn’t won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy since its inception in 1988.

The three finalists for the trophy will be announced in early August. The winner will be revealed during the conference finals, with the exact date, format and time to be determined, according to the NHL.

The winner will receive a $25,000 donation from the NHL Foundation to benefit a charity or charities of his choice. The other two finalist will each land $5,000 for a charity or charities of their choice.