Awarded annually "to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice, and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community," Wheeler was chosen by the Jets. Should he be chosen by the NHL's executive committee, Wheeler will be provided with a $25K cheque made to the charity of his choice. If he comes in second or third, that cheque will be for $5K. Although losing his role as captain for the 2022-23 season, Wheeler did maintain an important role within the Jets, as he played top-six minutes and put up 16 goals and 55 points in 72 games in his 12th season in Winnipeg. The Jets' coaching staff and ownership may have stripped the soon-to-be 37-year-old of his captaincy as the club attempted to turn the page on some old habits and traditions, but clearly things didn't quite pan out as the higher-ups would have hoped. Winnipeg did make the postseason - albeit narrowly - but also took a near record-breaking nosedive from first-place in the Western Conference to the eighth seed come playoff time. The year was filled with ups and downs, injuries and memorable quotes. But two of the most intriguing bits of commentary were found following the Jets' final game of the postseason. The first came from head coach Rick Bowness, who exploded on his team through the media in a viral one-minute availability that saw the veteran coach use the phrase, "disappointed and disgusted" more than once. Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Rick Bowness Disgusted With Team's Effort vs. Vegas The other quote came from depth forward Adam Lowry, who made it seem as though it was still Wheeler's dressing room to rule. "I don't know, if necessarily not having a captain changes much. I think we all still look at Wheels as the captain, that leader in the room. He knows what to say and went to say it. He knows how to approach things and he's seen a lot of things." After Lowry spoke, Bowness made his way to the podium and addressed the way he lashed out, while also touching on Wheeler's performance and the conversation he had with him prior to the start of the season. "When we took the 'C' away, we knew he was - and I talked to Blake about that: 'We still expect you to be a leader on this team.' And he was. So these guys that all played with him, they know him as the captain, that's fine for me. Again, when Blake and I had that, it's not a very comfortable conversation - trust me - for either one of us. But I explain to him: 'You're still a leader on this team. Whether you wear the C or you don't. Whether you have an A on, you're still a leader on this team.' "I've said this before. Some of the best leaders in this league don't have a letter on their chest. They're just natural leaders. So if the guys are still looking at Blake as a leader, I have no problem with that whatsoever." Wheeler will join the following 31 other King Clancy finalists: Anaheim Ducks: Kevin Shattenkirk Arizona Coyotes: Travis Boyd Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron Buffalo Sabres: Alex Tuch Calgary Flames: Mikael Backlund Carolina Hurricanes: Jordan Staal Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Murphy Colorado Avalanche: Devon Toews Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski Dallas Stars: Jason Robertson Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin Edmonton Oilers: Darnell Nurse Florida Panthers: Aleksander Barkov Los Angeles Kings: Mikey Anderson Minnesota Wild: Matt Dumba Montreal Canadiens: Jordan Harris Nashville Predators: Juuse Saros New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes New York Islanders: Anders Lee New York Rangers: Jacob Trouba Ottawa Senators: Brady Tkachuk Philadelphia Flyers: Scott Laughton Pittsburgh Penguins: Evgeni Malkin San Jose Sharks: Luke Kunin Seattle Kraken: Chris Driedger St. Louis Blues: Brayden Schenn Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman Toronto Maple Leafs: Morgan Rielly Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson Vegas Golden Knights: Reilly Smith Washington Capitals: Tom Wilson
