Jason Zucker 2018 King Clancy Memorial Trophy Finalist

St Louis Blues v Minnesota Wild - Game One

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The National Hockey League (NHL) today announced Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker as one of three finalists for the 2018 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community. The recipient of the 2018 King Clancy Memorial Trophy will be announced during the 2018 NHL Awards™ presented by Hulu on Wednesday, June 20, at The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's state-of-the-art concert and entertainment venue at 7 p.m. CT on NBCSN.

Zucker and his wife Carly began a campaign in 2017-18 to raise funds for the Zucker Family Suite and Broadcast Studio at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, growing out of the couple's special relationship with the hospital and its patients. The space will allow children and their families to watch Wild games in a setting that simulates the experience of being at the game itself. It also will serve as a state-of-the-art broadcast studio. The Zuckers kick started the project by donating $160,000, and then continued their push by encouraging others in the community to donate in forms of 16 -- Jason's jersey number -- to the #GIVE16 campaign. In addition, Jason pledged $1,600 every time he scored a goal this season. He finished the season with a career-high 33 goals. In seven months, the #GIVE16 campaign has raised over $900,000.

Jason also lends support to Minnesota causes including Avenues for Homeless Youth, Secondhand Hounds and Coco's Heart animal rescue, Minnesota Police Department first responders and the Go Red for Women campaign.

The Sedin twins and P.K. Subban were also named finalists for the 2018 King Clancy Memorial Trophy. A committee of senior NHL executives led by Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly will select the winner. The King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner will receive a $40,000 donation from the National Hockey League Foundation to benefit a charity or charities of the winner's choice and the two runners-up will each receive a $5,000 donation. The selection committee will apply the following criteria in determining the finalists and winner of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy: Investment of time and resources; Commitment to a particular cause or community; Creativity of programming; Use of influence; engagement of others and Measurement of impact.

The trophy was presented in 1988 by the National Hockey League Board of Governors in honor of Frank "King" Clancy, a beloved figure in the NHL for decades as a player, referee, coach, manager and goodwill ambassador. A three-time Stanley Cup champion and 1958 inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Clancy was voted as one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players during the League's Centennial Celebration in 2017.