According to Amanda Stein on the “Inside the Devils Blog,” Devils’ defenseman PK Subban is a finalist for the King Clancy Award, “given to a player ‘who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.’”
Former Devil Kurtis Gabriel, now of the San Jose Sharks and Predators’ goalie Pekka Rinne are the other two finalists.
Stein mentions that Subban “expanded his Blueline Buddies program to incorporate healthcare workers who have been on the front-lines of the Covid-19 pandemic. Subban worked around the pandemic and inability to host fans in person to take his program virtual to make sure he was still connecting with the New Jersey community, particularly in this time of need.”
As in past years, as when he started the program in Nashville, it also linked “members of law enforcement with New Jersey’s youth.” Subban was also a finalist for this award last year as well according to Stein.
Stein reports that the winner of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy will also “receive a $25,000 donation to benefit the charity or charities of his choice.” The runners-up will receive $5,000 for the same purpose.
The NHL Awards will not be a show this year, but rather, Stein says, the awards winners “will be revealed during the Stanley Cup Semifinals and Stanley Cup Final, with further details to follow.”
Congratulations to PK Subban for this great honor. He was the Devils’ nominee last year but came up short to Mat Dumba of the Minnesota Wild. Good luck to him as the awards are announced, he certainly deserves it.