Bruins defenseman Jordan Harris received quite the nomination from the NHL this morning.

Boston’s defenseman was named the Bruins’ nominee for the 2025-26 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, the league award tied to leadership and humanitarian work in the community.

That makes this more than a nice team mention in April.

The nomination puts a spotlight on the work Harris has done off the ice, especially after launching “Harris’ Huskies” in February with Northeastern University. The program connects local youth players with role models from the school’s hockey team.

That part matters in Boston because Harris is not dropping into the city as an outsider trying to make a fast impression.

He is a Haverhill native, he played at Northeastern, and he signed a 1-year deal with his hometown Bruins on July 1. That local tie gives this nomination extra weight around the room and around the market.

The community angle is also easy to see.

Harris’ Huskies was built with SCORE Boston, a long-time Bruins community partner focused on opening doors in the sport. Last month, Harris also hosted a youth clinic through the program to help kids stay connected to hockey.

Boston is recognizing more than a depth defenseman

The King Clancy is not handed out for points from the blue line. It recognizes the player who best shows leadership on and off the ice while making a meaningful humanitarian contribution.

That is why Harris fits this story even without a huge stat line.

His first Bruins season has been choppy on the ice. He broke his right ankle on October 21, had surgery on October 27, and was projected to miss about 2 months before working his way back.

But that return only sharpens the nomination.

Players dealing with a long injury layoff can drift into the background. Harris used that same season to build something in the community instead of treating the year like a lost one.

That should land with Don Sweeney too.

The Bruins signed Harris as a low-cost hometown bet at $825,000, and what they got was more than blue-line depth. They got a player who gave the organization community value in a season where those touches still matter.

Boston had Charlie McAvoy as its nominee last year, so this is now back-to-back seasons with a Bruins defenseman carrying that flag.

That says something about how the club wants to be seen.

Harris may not be the biggest name on the roster, but this nomination shows the Bruins believe his impact has reached well past the bench. In a city where hockey roots matter, Jordan Harris just gave Boston one more reason to claim him.