Tuch selected as Sabres' nominee for King Clancy Memorial Trophy

Alex Tuch has been selected as the Sabres’ nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the NHL player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.”

One nominee is selected from each of the NHL’s 32 clubs. The winner will be chosen by a committee of senior NHL executives led by commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 donation to a charity of their choice. Two runners-up will each receive $5,000 donations.

Tuch’s second consecutive nomination comes just days after Sabres fans voted him as the recipient of the 2023-24 Rick Martin Memorial Award. “The Rico” is presented annually to the player who fans believe best embodies what it means to be a Buffalo Sabre based on on-ice excellence, resiliency, and dedication to the community.

Tuch has been a valued member of the Western New York community since he joined the Sabres during the 2021-22 season. The forward has continued to have a lasting impact on the community through his AT9 Foundation, which assists children currently facing challenges in all areas of their lives, with a special focus on supporting research to end pediatric cancer and helping those with special needs.

This season, Tuch donated a suite for 10 home games to multiple charities and hosted a holiday toy drive through his foundation in November and December, which was featured in an episode of Buffalo Sabres: Embedded.

He also joined Buffalo Poet Laureate Emeritus Jillian Hanesworth for a visit to local restaurant Manna @ Northland in celebration of Black History Month in February.

“I love giving back to the community, I love doing the events,” Tuch said. “... Everything that we were able to do this year from the toy drive to the tickets to the games and stuff, it was really special. I enjoyed every second of it. I love doing it and so does my family, so it was a lot of fun this year.”

Tuch ended the 2023-24 season tied for the team lead in points, with 59 points (22+37) in 75 games. His 82 takeaways rank tied for fourth in the NHL and are the most by a Sabres player in a single season since the league began tracking the statistic in 2005-06.