Brent Dodginghorse wins NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award
Dodginghorse, who won the WHL's President's Cup with the Calgary Hitmen in 1999, is also a consultant for the Calgary Flames and works with the 7 Chiefs Hockey Program with his cousin Kyle Dodginghorse, speaking about diversity and acting as a mentor for young players at the 7 Chiefs Sportsplex and the Chief Jim Starlight Centre on Tsuut'ina Nation.
''He has been such a tremendous advocate and friend and peer and mentor to our entire organization at the Calgary Flames and Calgary Hitmen,' said Candice Goudie, the executive director of the Calgary Flames Foundation, in an interview with NHL.com last month. 'A lot of what we've built as far as inclusion in our minor hockey programs and in our celebration games, Brent has been a part of that. We are just so lucky to have him.'
The Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award is named after the former NHLer who became the first Black player to compete in the league when he stepped onto the ice with the Boston Bruins on Jan. 18, 1958.
Dodginghorse will receive a $25,000 prize in the form of a donation to the charity of his choice.
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