John Klingberg nominated for King Clancy Memorial Trophy

FRISCO, Texas --The Dallas Stars announced today that defenseman John Klingberg was named the club's nominee for the National Hockey League's King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the NHL player "who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."

Prior to the 2018-19 season, Klingberg announced the implementation of the Klinger's Kids program presented by Levitz Mattress. The new program further expanded on the blueliner's desire to help children affected by life-threatening illnesses. Parents or friends and family of a child (age 0-18) with cancer or a life-threatening illness -- i.e., a progressive, degenerative, or malignant condition that may jeopardize the child's life -- could apply to be part of Klinger's Kids program. Recipients were invited to watch morning skate and receive a tour of the locker room from Klingberg. They also received four tickets to attend the game that night.

As part of the NHL's Hockey Is For Everyone initiative, Klingberg was selected as the club's ambassador due to his engagement off the ice in humanitarian work which positively impacts a diverse, marginalized or underserved population.
On the ice, the native of Gothenburg, Sweden has skated in two games in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and has logged one assist (0-1=1). During the 2018-19 regular season, he registered 45 points (10-35=45) in 64 regular-season games with Dallas. Klingberg ranked 11th in the NHL with 24:32 time on ice per game, establishing a new career high, while he also shared second amongst League blueliners and third among all Dallas skaters with a career-high five game-winning goals. Amongst NHL defensemen, he was tied for sixth in power play goals (5) and tied for 10th in power play points (5-15=20), and ranked fourth among all Stars skaters with a career-best five power play goals. The blueliner finished third on the Stars with 35 assists and fourth with 45 points, leading team defensemen in both categories and reaching the 30-point mark for the fifth consecutive season, becoming the first defenseman in franchise history (since 1967-68) to record at least 30 points in each of his first five NHL seasons.