Kyle Palmieri was named the New York Islanders nominee for the 2025-26 King Clancy Memorial Trophy on April 10. The award is given each year to a player who demonstrates leadership qualities both on and off the ice and has made significant humanitarian contributions in his community.
The nomination highlights Palmieri’s involvement with local veterans and charitable efforts. Team captain Anders Lee said, “He cares a lot about the people around him and the veterans in our area. He’s put a lot of effort into his foundation and it was really cool to go to his event and see the impact he’s making first-hand.”
Palmieri, who serves as an alternate captain for the Islanders, hosted an event at Lunchbox Brewing Company in March to support his foundation. In October, he joined teammates at Garden City’s Oktoberfest, raising funds for both his foundation and the Viscardi Center Veteran’s Employment Program.
Casey Cizikas also praised Palmieri’s dedication: “His impact in the community and what he does with his foundation is massive. It’s incredible what he does for people in need, the people that protect our country. The event he had back in October, he had support from every single guy on the team. A lot of hard work and dedication, he’s a leader for a reason.”
Each National Hockey League team submits one nominee for consideration. According to information from NHL officials shared on April 10, three finalists will be announced later this season. This marks Palmieri’s first time being nominated by the Islanders.
The selection committee—made up of Commissioner Gary Bettman along with former winners of both this trophy and other NHL humanitarian awards—will consider each nominee’s inspiration, involvement, and positive impact within their communities when choosing a winner. The recipient will receive $25,000 to donate to charity or charities of their choice; new this year is an option for their club to receive up to $20,000 from NHL funds toward organizing a related humanitarian initiative.
Three previous Islanders have won this honor: Bryan Trottier (1989), Doug Weight (2011), and Anders Lee (2024). The winner will be announced at this year’s NHL Awards.
