Flyers forward Scott Laughton nominated for NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy

The award, which will be presented in June, goes to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.

Flyers center Scott Laughton skates against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, March 3, 2022 in Philadelphia.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

by Olivia Reiner

Published May 4, 2022, 2:13 p.m. ET

The NHL announced on Wednesday the 32 nominees, one from each team, for the 2021-22 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.”

Among those nominees is Flyers forward Scott Laughton, who was selected for consideration by the team.

Laughton, 27, is the Flyers’ Hockey is for Everyone ambassador and a You Can Play ambassador. On Pride Night this season, when Flyers Charities donated $5,000 to You Can Play, Laughton matched the gift for a total of $10,000 donated to the organization.

Additionally, Laughton and winger James van Riemsdyk invited 16-year-old Juls Ries, who plays on an Ed Snider Foundation team and came out to her teammates three years ago, to attend that night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. In total, Laughton and van Riemsdyk provided Flyers tickets to You Can Play for 12 games this season.

In his ninth season with the Flyers, Laughton served as an alternate captain and took on an increased leadership role, even before longtime captain Claude Giroux was traded to the Florida Panthers on March 19.

A committee of senior NHL executives including commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly will select the winner of the award.

The group will weigh several factors when choosing a winner, including a clear and measurable positive impact on the community, investment of time and resources, commitment to a particular cause or community, commitment to the NHL’s community initiatives, creativity of programming, and a use of influence and engagement of others.

The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 donation to a cause of his choice. Two runners-up will receive a $5,000 donation each. Former Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds is the Toronto Maple Leafs’ nominee, while St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly, the brother of Phantoms captain Cal O’Reilly, also is up for the award.

Since the award’s inception in 1987-88, no Flyers player has earned it. Former Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne was the last player to win the trophy. The winner will be announced at the 2022 NHL Awards in June.