The NHL Awards nominees are starting to flood the internet. First up is the King Clancy award, which is given to the player who is larger than life, both on the ice and off of it.Â
Every NHL team chooses one of its players, and a group of executives and past winners chooses the best candidate.Â
For the St. Louis Blues, they have a perfect candidate, and it is defenseman Colton Parayko. No, it is not Groundhog Day, as No. 55 was also the Blues representative for this award last season.Â
Could join Kelly ChaseÂ
The only other Blues player to win this prestigious honor is none other than Kelley Chase in 1997-98. Parayko had a down season in 2025-26, but it wasn't all that bad given what was going on outside the game.Â
He, alongside goaltender Jordan Binnington, was named to the Canadian Olympic team. This is his second-straight season representing his country in an international fashion, as he was also selected to Team Canada for the Four Nations Face-off last season.Â
Leadership on and off the ice
On the ice, he serves as one of the alternate captains. With the removal of captain Brayden Schenn, it is on Parayko more now than ever to influence and lead this younger group of Blues. You should expect that newly appointed alternate captain Jake Neighbours is getting a lot of insight from the big defenseman.Â
Off the ice, his foundation, Project 55, helps support hospitalized children and their families. The initiative provides both financial and emotional support. It has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help families in the St. Louis area.