COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – On Monday, the National Hockey League announced the finalists for the 2023 Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award.
One of the three United States finalists, Karen Ota-O’Brien, hails from Coconut Creek.
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Ota-O’Brien has played a crucial role in establishing and maintaining women’s hockey both in South Florida and across the state.
She is the co-founder of the Florida Women’s Hockey League (FWHL) and she founded both the South Florida Women’s Hockey Program and the Lucky Pucks Hockey Club.
According to the NHL, The Lucky Pucks Club members account for four teams in the FWHL with over 80 participants.
To learn more about Ota-O’Brien, a profile video can be found here.
Two other U.S. finalists for the award are Jason McCrimmon from Detroit, Michigan and Marty Richardson from Littleton, Colorado.
The finalists selected north of the border are Dean Smith from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Derek Klein from Shellbrook, Saskatchewan, and Saroya Tinker from Toronto, Ontario.
The Canadian winner will be announced during a Stanley Cup Final game while the league will unveil the United States winner during NHL Awards on June 26 in Nashville.
The U.S. and Canadian winners will receive $25,000 each to donate to a charity of their choosing. The remaining finalists will be given $5000 to also donate to their favorite charity.