King Clancy Memorial Award: History, Montreal Canadiens Past Winners
By Nate Duffett
The NHL will award the King Clancy Memorial Award on Tuesday, May 28th, before the puck drop of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The King Clancy Memorial Award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community. Each team in the NHL gets a nominee for this special trophy, and this year's candidate for the Montreal Canadiens is Nick Suzuki.
The Award honors Francis M. Clancy, best known as "King". Clancy was a former player for the original Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He went on to become a coach, referee, and team executive. Former Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard presented the award to the NHL, citing Clancy as "one of the greatest humanitarians that ever lived." The Montreal Canadiens have only won the award once. However, a current front office member has held the award, plus a former fan favorite who the NHL recognized for his work in Montreal despite being a member of the Devils.
It makes sense that an award with nominees from every team would have alot more parity, as only eight teams have won the award more than once. Let's look at the Canadiens' history with the prestigious award.