Derek Klein, CEO of Big River First Nation, is one of the finalists for the NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award. (National Hockey League)

By Rob Mahon

NHL Recognizes Klein

‘Humbled and excited’: Big River First Nation CEO among finalists for NHL community award

Apr 4, 2023 | 4:00 PM

The Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award, named for the first black player in the NHL, is reserved for individuals who positively impacted their community, culture or society through the sport of hockey. Big River First Nation boasts just such a person, and he’s being recognized by the NHL.

Derek Klein, CEO of Big River First Nation, is one of three Canadian finalists for the prestigious award, which is handed out by the NHL. There are three nominees from Canada and three from the United States.

“I was humbled and actually excited for the community,” Klein said. “We were able to show a platform of what good things are going on in our nation. We’ve been able to get our word and get all the positives that are going on in the nation out in the open.”

Klein was singled out for his work promoting and growing the game on Big River and beyond. He pointed to the Jim Neilson Sports Complex, which opened in September of 2022 with an exhibition game between the Prince Albert Raiders and Saskatoon Blades, as a way the sport is both growing in the community and uniting it.

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“The Jim Neilson Complex is the safe haven of the community, the meeting place where everybody comes and congregates,” said Klein. “We’ve got 12 minor hockey teams out here, seven boys and five girls. It’s a Grade 7-12 school with a 1,000-seat arena on it. We’ve got an artificial soccer turf, a 3,500-seat powwow arbor, a lacrosse field, a running track, a ball diamond, it’s a complex for all.”

Though the award would mean a lot to him personally, Klein sees it more as a symbol of how far things have come on Big River and where they might be going from here.

“Just getting to the three finalists, we’re all winners,” Klein said. “All three stories are amazing. But what would be so great for the community is that the stereotype of things not being good on the reservation isn’t always true. We’ve got a great program here. Where it changed in the last three or four years, a lot of our members left for urban centres. But now they’re coming back because there’s more opportunity.”

Big River First Nation sits about an hour and fifteen minutes from Prince Albert and closer to two hours from Saskatoon, so Klein said it’s important to have opportunity close to home, especially in sports, where the expense of registrations and equipment is enough to keep some families out without the added costs of travel.

“I just want to thank the Prince Albert Raiders, Saskatoon Blades, and our partners the New York Rangers, who’ve all been a big part of our facility,” said Klein.

Fans will have an opportunity to vote for the winner until April 16 Willie O’Ree himself will hold a weighted vote on the award as well.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP