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Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins nominated for 2026 King Clancy Trophy
Photo credit: © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
By Tyler Kuehl
Apr 10, 2026, 13:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 10, 2026, 14:17 EDT
The Edmonton Oilers’ longest-tenured player is being recognized for his work off the ice.
On Friday, the NHL released the 32 nominees for the 2026 King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the Oilers’ nominee is forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Nugent-Hopkins’ nomination ends a run for defenceman Darnell Nurse, who was the Oilers’ nomination in each of the past four years, though he never took home the trophy.
The award is given “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community
On top of winning the trophy, the recipient will receive a $25,000 grant to benefit a charity of the player’s choosing, in addition to a grant of up to $20,000 to that person’s NHL team to help organize a special activation related to their chosen cause.
For Nugent-Hopkins, who has been a part of the organization since being taken first overall in the 2011 NHL Draft, he has been a crucial part of the community around the Alberta capital. The veteran centre has made several contributions around the area, with a lot of the focus of his support of research and treatment for cystic fibrosis.
There have been three Oilers have won the King Clancy in the past. Hockey Hall of Famer Kevin Lowe was the first to do so in 1989-90. Former captain Ethan Moreau won the award in 2008-09, while defenceman Andrew Ference was given the honour in 2013-14.
If the Burnaby, B.C. native skates one more season, he will be on his way to becoming the longest-tenured member in the franchise’s history. He has appeared in 1,028 regular-season games in his NHL career, all with Edmonton. He ranks second all-time in games played as an Oiler, nine games back of Lowe (1,037).
“Nuge” also ranked sixth on the franchise assists list with 513 helpers, eighth in goals (290) and seventh in points (803). He’s had another productive season this year, scoring 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points, reaching the half-century mark in scoring for the fourth time in the past five years.
Along with his regular-season numbers, Nugent-Hopkins has scored 23 goals and 81 points in 96 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
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