Darcy Haugan has been posthumously honoured as the first-ever recipient of the NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award.
The announcement was made Wednesday night during the NHL's awards ceremony in Las Vegas.
Haugan was the head coach and general manager of the SJHL's Humboldt Broncos when he died in an April 6 crash involving the Broncos team bus and a semi-trailer unit. Sixteen people aboard the bus died.
His wife, Christina, accepted the award on his behalf.
The award is presented to the person who best utilizes hockey as a platform for participants to build character and develop important life skills for a more positive family experience.
A touching video tribute to the Broncos aired during the awards ceremony. Ten players who survived the bus crash were then introduced to the crowd, and were on the stage as O'Ree presented the award to Christina Haugan. Three other players couldn't attend because they are still recovering in hospital.
Haugan played for the Bruins during his final season of junior hockey in 1995-96, and returned to the Bruins in December 2000 to be an assistant coach. He was the interim co-head coach and general manager for the final weeks of the 2002-03 season.
Haugan was then the head coach and general manager of the junior B North Peace Navigators in Peace River, Alta., from 2003-2015, and then he returned to Saskatchewan to be the head coach and general manager of the Broncos in 2015.
The award is named after O'Ree, who was the first black player in NHL history, and is the NHL's diversity ambassador. O’Ree and his committee chose the finalists from a pool of nine semifinalists based on their demonstration of impressive leadership, collaboration and behaviour that has transcended the sport, improved lives and helped others reach their potential.
The other finalists are Debbie Bland of Etobicoke, Ont., the co-founder/builder of the Etobicoke Dolphins Girls Hockey League, and Neal Henderson of Washington, founder of the Fort Dupont Hockey Club.
The winner was selected after a public vote.
