Hasek's Heroes
Spectator SportsNew York, United States2-10 Employees
Hasek's Heroes operates a developmental ice hockey program for economically disadvantaged youth in Buffalo, New York. The program began in 2001 after Dominik Hasek donated $1 million to create it, providing equipment, ice time, and coaching. Beyond hockey, it offers mentoring, academic tutoring, and team-building activities to support youth development. In 2004 the organization took over Riverside Park’s Reuben 'Bud' Bakewell Ice Rink, expanding access to facilities, and in 2011 a partnership with the Buffalo Sabres Foundation extended the program to a second rink in South Buffalo. Since its inception, the program has provided ice-skating skills and hockey participation at no cost to more than 600 underprivileged youth in Buffalo. It is regarded as one of the largest such programs across NHL cities in the United States and Canada, ranking second only to the Ed Snyder Foundation, and it operates with a small staff.