NEW YORK – University of Calgary Dinos men's hockey alum Arjun Atwal is a finalist for the 2025 Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award, presented by Hyundai, the NHL office announced earlier this week.

Atwal joined the Dinos in 2020 and spent three seasons on the ice for the Scarlet & Gold before graduating in 2024. He helped the Dinos win their latest Canada West championship in 2023 and helped them make back-to-back appearances at the U SPORTS National Championships in his final two seasons on campus.

After graduating, Atwal decided to pass up playing pro hockey overseas to keep working on a program to help South Asian youth and others in communities of color in Canada enter and advance in the sport.

Atwal founded AZ1 Hockey in 2020 to expand hockey, primarily within Western Canada's South Asian, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) and new immigrant communities where families may not have the resources or knowledge to guide their children through the sport.

"My focus as a South Asian athlete that was privileged enough to play for 20 years – lucky enough, while I was playing – I got the chance to give back to not only my community, but other minority communities that need growth within the game of hockey," the 25-year-old Edmonton native said. "Our mission is to kind of make hockey a little bit more affordable, a little more accessible."

Today, AZ1 Hockey has 400 boys and girls, mainly in Western Canada, who range in playing ability from novice to elite level. The program focuses on the progression of players through on- and off-ice training and mentorship. It helps promote elite players to scouts and hockey front offices and provides a support system for players and their families who think they may have been subjected to racial or discriminatory behavior.

For more about Atwal's story or to vote for him for this year's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award, go to NHL.com.

About The Award

First awarded in 2017-18, the award is presented annually "to an individual who – through the game of hockey – has positively impacted his or her community, culture or society."

The Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award honors former NHL forward Willie O'Ree, who on Jan. 18, 1958, became the first black player to compete in the League. O'Ree, who lost sight in his right eye at a young age, went on to play professional hockey for 21 years. His perseverance is unrivaled, and his impact on the game and the lives of young players still is felt today.

For more than two decades, O'Ree has served as the NHL's Diversity Ambassador, traveling across North America to schools and hockey programs to share his story and experiences as well as to promote messages of inclusion, dedication and confidence. O'Ree has used hockey as a platform to build character and teach life skills, and has used his influence to foster positive values through the sport. 

-UC-