Marcus Foligno learned he had won the 2025-26 King Clancy Trophy when his brother Nick surprised him with it during a tour of the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota.
The Surprise Presentation
A committee of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and prior King Clancy winners selected Foligno from 32 team nominees. The 34-year-old left winger received the award for leadership on and off the ice plus humanitarian work. Along with the trophy the NHL provided a $25,000 donation to a charity of Foligno’s choice. The Wild became eligible for up to $20,000 in league grants to support related activations.
Nick Foligno presented the hardware in person at the cancer center creating an immediate family moment. The presentation highlighted the brothers’ shared history in the league. Marcus had already participated in the Foligno Face-Off charity series against Nick earlier in the season.
The timing aligned with ongoing breast cancer awareness efforts tied to the family’s Janis Foligno Foundation. Marcus met patients and survivors throughout the 2025-26 campaign. These meetings produced sustained connections rather than single visits.
On-Ice Leadership Record
Foligno served as an alternate captain for the Wild for five consecutive seasons through 2025-26. He recorded eight goals and 13 points in 56 regular-season games. In the playoffs he added two goals and three points across 11 contests.
His role contrasted with brother Nick’s prior captaincy experience with the Chicago Blackhawks before the trade-deadline move to Minnesota. The siblings faced each other twice during the regular season as part of the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative. Donations split between Team Nick and Team Marcus amplified the campaign’s visibility.
The on-ice contributions supported a broader profile that the selection committee weighed against 31 other nominees. Five years of alternate captaincy provided consistent leadership structure within the Wild dressing room.
Humanitarian Roots and Impact
The Janis Foligno Foundation was established 16 years ago after Marcus’s mother died from breast cancer. Marcus channeled that loss into direct support for patients at the Masonic Cancer Center. The NHL noted that these interactions created genuine moments of connection and support.
Foligno’s compassion and commitment to his mother’s legacy produced measurable differences in community members’ lives according to the league statement. The foundation work continues alongside the new $25,000 NHL contribution targeted at breast cancer research.
The brothers’ parallel achievements add a family dimension to the trophy’s history. Nick captured the award in 2016-17 while with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Their shared status as winners now links two generations of on-ice and off-ice contributions.
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.