The
Winnipeg Jets announced their nominee for the 2026 King Clancy Memorial Trophy today.
The team announced that forward Gabriel Vilardi is the club’s nominee for this year’s King Clancy Trophy, which is presented “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”
The nominees were selected by their respective NHL teams. The winner will be chosen by a selection committee consisting of Commissioner Gary Bettman, as well as former winners of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the historic NHL Foundation Player Award.
Vilardi joined the Jets in a trade in the summer of 2023 that sent former Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a draft pick. Since joining the organization, he’s become a big part of the community, especially when it comes to mental health initiatives.
The 26-year-old is heavily involved with the Jets’ Project 11 mental health curriculum and also volunteers as a part-time coach with the Jets Hockey Academy. What really stood out, though, came in a piece with
The Athletic earlier this season where he opened up about his mental health and the coping mechanisms he uses.
Those include building Lego, cold plunges, and meditating. He also tries to make sure he does something fun away from the rink, like going to the Rec Room.
“Guys always mess with me for that but it’s a mental thing,” Vilardi told The Athletic. “I go there and I have an hour or an hour and a half where nothing else exists. I just go there, I play, I have fun, and I’m like a kid.”
Jets captain Adam Lowry was the team’s nominee last season (2024-25).
Vilardi’s on-ice production has also reached new heights this season. With four games left, he has already set new career highs in points (64), goals (29), and assists (35).
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