Pittsburgh-area native Howard Smith has been nominated for the NHL’s Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award.

Per a release from the league, the honor is given “to an individual who — through the sport of hockey — has positively impacted his or her community, culture or society.”

Smith co-founded Pittsburgh I.C.E. (Inclusion Creates Equity), a program touted as being “committed to offering children of all socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to learn and play hockey.”

Additionally, Smith worked with the Steel City Icebergs, an adaptive program for children and adults with developmental disabilities and the Pittsburgh Warriors, a non-profit organization of veterans with a service-connective disability. Smith is a a veteran himself of the U.S. Navy.

The Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award is named in honor of former NHL forward Willie O’Ree. In 1958, O’Ree became the first Black player to play in the league. He currently serves as the NHL’s diversity ambassador and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 as a builder.

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