Eichel selected as nominee for King Clancy Trophy

Jack Eichel has been selected as the Buffalo Sabres' nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the second straight season, the NHL announced Monday.

The trophy is awarded annually to the player who "best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."

Eichel, 23, has been increasingly involved in the community during his five-year tenure with the Sabres. He donates a suite inside KeyBank Center to charitable organizations for each home game during the regular season, each of which are followed by postgame meet and greets.

The Sabres captain remained active during the COVID-19 pandemic, donating 5,000 personal protective equipment masks to local hospitals and sending flowers to the nurses at Roswell Park Comprehensive Care Center.

Eichel has been a long-time supporter of Best Buddies WNY, an organization that creates opportunities for one-on-one friendship, integrated employment, and leadership development for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He was a guest at the organization's Halloween party this past season and hosted kids from the program for a holiday lunch in the Sabres locker room.

The captain also supports Roswell Park Comprehensive Care Center and its pediatric program, the Courage of Carly Fund. He has raised over $400,000 through his involvement in the Bald for Bucks campaign over the past four years and surprises patients both with hospital and in-home visits.

Eichel recently participated in multiple Zoom calls with Breaking Barriers Buffalo, a non-profit organization that leads a group of young men of color, 12 to 24 years in age, in creating a unified voice that advocates for racial equity, social justice and policy change.

Rob Ray previously won the King Clancy Trophy as a member of the Sabres in 1999 for his work with Roswell Park and Children's Hospital, among other organizations.