Phoenix Coyotes Hockey on AZ Vibe

Las Vegas – Tonight at the 2010 NHL Awards at the Palms Hotel, Phoenix Coyotes Captain Shane Doan won the King Clancy Trophy. According to the NHL, the King Clancy Trophy is given to the player “who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice and who has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.”

Shane Doan is not only the most recognized face on the Phoenix Coyotes but he also donates his time to many and various charities such as the Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the Children First Academy. However, he is also being recognized for his accomplishments over the course of the past year or so.

Coyotes fans may remember last off-season that Shane Doan went above and beyond the call of any NHL Captain by answering questions in the media about the Coyotes ownership drama when he really didn’t have to. In addition, the wording of the press release also implied that he is being recognized for leading the Coyotes this past season to franchise records of 50 wins and 107 points with all the outside distractions of the Phoenix Coyotes ownership instability going on.

You wouldn’t know it but the Coyotes off-season last Summer for Doan was “a tough summer in the fact that kind of wondering what was going on.” He continued, “It was exciting to turn it around.”

Doan also sees Winning the King Clancy Trophy as a “great honor. I accepted it on the fact that we had great leadership in the room, and I totally recognize it’s a team thing more than an individual thing.”

I partially disagree with that statement. I’ll explain why.

When I first read the press release that the NHL handed out to us in the media room about Shane Doan winning the King Clancy Trophy, the following statement resonated with me:

Aside from simply making appearances, Doan is well-known in Phoenix for his ability to put a smile on fans’ faces and engage them in conversations about nearly anything. During the Coyotes Carnival in March, during which Doan playfully interacted with each and every fan who stood in line awaiting the chance to participate in carnival games with him…

This afternoon, I checked out the red carpet procession leading up to the start of the 2010 NHL Awards, and I noted this kid and his father next to me. The Kid had a pad of paper and a sharpie trying to get autographs from whomever came by. Some NHL Stars just walked past not signing any autographs, some just signed his pad and moved on, and some didn’t see the kid. However, when Shane Doan came by, something else happened. (Picture Below)

Doan stopped, kneeled down to the kids level and genuinely interacted with the kid asking him questions, asking him his name. He sincerely connected with the kid. It’s the type of connection that kids will remember as they grow older and is the kind of moment that truly defines Shane Doan as a person off the ice.

This is why he won the King Clancy Trophy tonight:

It’s a fitting (and overdue) tribute to a man who is being honored not only for his on-ice contributions but it’s also a reflection of his tremendous character off the ice.