Top Three NHL Foundation Player Award Finalists Announced: Brown, Green, Sedin Twins

The NHL Trophy announcement for today is the NHL Foundation Player Award is given annually to "the National Hockey League (NHL) player who applies the core values of  hockey—commitment, perseverance and teamwork—to enrich the lives of people in his community". The award is closely related to the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, as both are awarded to a player who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community.

The top three finalists this year includes Dustin Brown from the Kings, Mike Green from the Caps, and Vancouver's Sedin Twins.

The final presentation to the winner will be made at the NHL Awards Show at the Pearl Theater at the Palms Casino and Resort on June 22. 

Here is the  the full release from the NHL...

BROWN, GREEN, SEDINS NAMED NHL FOUNDATION PLAYER AWARD FINALISTS FOR CHARITABLE AND COMMUNITY WORK

NEW YORK (May 2, 2011) – Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown, Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green and Vancouver Canucks forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin are the finalists for the 13th Annual NHL Foundation Player Award, the National Hockey League announced today. The award recognizes an NHL player who applies the core values of hockey – commitment, perseverance and teamwork – to enrich the lives of people in his community.

The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 22, during the 2011 NHL Awards from the Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Hotel Las Vegas. The 2011 NHL Awards will be broadcast by VERSUS in the United States and CBC in Canada.

NHL Clubs submitted nominations for the NHL Foundation Player Award and the finalists were selected by a judging panel. The NHL Foundation will present $25,000 to the chosen charitable organization of this year’s recipient.

Past recipients of the NHL Foundation Player Award include Ryan Miller (2010), Rick Nash (2009), Vincent Lecavalier and Trevor Linden (2008), Joe Sakic (2007), Marty Turco (2006), Jarome Iginla (2004), Darren McCarty (2003), Ron Francis (2002), Olaf Kolzig (2001), Adam Graves (2000), Rob Ray (1999) and Kelly Chase (1998).

The finalists for this year’s NHL Foundation Player Award, in alphabetical order:

DUSTIN BROWN, Los Angeles Kings

The Kings’ 26-year-old captain is a finalist for the NHL Foundation Player Award for the third consecutive season in recognition of his continued tireless involvement in countless community-benefiting endeavors. This season, Brown donated $50 for each of his 300 hits to contribute a total of $15,000 to Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles’ Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit. Two seasons ago, as part of the program he and his wife Nicole launched with KaBOOM!, a non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America, Brown’s per-hit donation plan raised $70,000 to build a new playground in Carson, CA, that now hosts more than 100 kids per day.
          
In mid-December, through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Brown hosted an unforgettable day behind the scenes at STAPLES Center and then the following night at the Kings-Wild game for Will McCloud, a six year old boy who was battling leukemia. Brown also again served as the team spokesman for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund, an organization dedicated to providing support for clinical research in pediatric cancer, while improving the medical environment for all children. And he volunteered to be the spokesman for the Club’s Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Night. In addition to adopting a local family over the holiday season as part of the Kings’ Adopt-a-Family program, Brown and his wife independently adopted a large family with a child currently being treated at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. He led extensive team participation in Kings Community Corner, a ticket-donation program that has enabled more than 15,000 Los Angeles youth and military members to experience Kings hockey live at STAPLES Center. And through his budding engagement with social media, Brown has raised awareness for Make My Day Monday, which promotes committing random acts of kindness each Monday, and raised funds for Japanese earthquake relief, donating $1 for each of the 9,425 new followers he attracted on Twitter during a one-week period in March.

MIKE GREEN, Washington Capitals

While Green was adding new defensive dimensions to his game this season, the two-time NHL Foundation Player Award finalist was increasing an off-ice commitment level that was already remarkable. For several seasons, Green has been donating tickets to Capitals home games to underserved children and soldiers through the Most Valuable Kids program, the recipients sitting together as Green’s Gang at Verizon Center. This is the third season Green and local radio personality Elliot Segal have donated money, based upon Green’s scoring totals, to their So Kids Can initiative, which has raised more than $93,000 for various youth-oriented organizations such as Pediatric Prosthetics, Inc. and Dr. Bear’s Toy Closet, which refurbishes playrooms at Children’s National Medical Center. This season, Green and Segal teamed up with KaBOOM! to raise money to build a Capitals-themed playground for an underserved community in the Washington, D.C. area.

Green has also been at the forefront of the Caps’ adoption of Powell Elementary School, working there on the 2010 D.C. Public Schools Beautification Day and, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helping design and build a vegetable garden at the school. Around the holidays, Green intensifies his community service, having participated in Miracle on Seventh Street, serving underprivileged families in the D.C. area holiday meals for three-straight years. For the past four seasons, Green has adopted local families for the holidays through The Children Law Center’s Christmas Drive, Quality Trust for Individuals with Disabilities Family EMPOWERment Center and the Wizards’ Family-to-Family program.

DANIEL AND HENRIK SEDIN, Vancouver Canucks

Dynamic offensive players on the ice, twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin also combine forces off the ice to make life in Vancouver better – particularly for children in need. The twins and their families have established a unique relationship with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. In 2010, they made a private $1.5 million pledge to the Campaign for BC Children that will go to the new hospital’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and to Diagnostics & Imaging, the critical area where medical staff identify and diagnose the health problems of young patients. The donation was made public at the hospital’s urging to increase awareness and encourage others to contribute.

The Sedins have become the faces of the annual Canucks For Kids Fund Telethon, which has raised more than $1,000,000 in donations and recognition of fundraising events throughout the year. Daniel and Henrik have joined Canucks teammates in making the Dice and Ice Benefita signature event for the Canucks organization. It opens the doors for 700 of Vancouver’s leading philanthropists to join the Canucks for a memorable night and a great cause, having raised more than $2,884,127 to date for the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice and the Canucks Autism Network. The Sedins and their teammates also participate in the Jake Milford Canucks Charity Golf Invitational, helping the tournament raise more than $180,000 for both the BC Hockey Benevolent Association and the Canucks for Kids Fund.

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