Friday, July 26, 2013

Whalers' Owner Peter Karmanos Jr. Named to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

Press Release

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Cindy Curley (Hudson, Mass.), Bill Guerin (Worcester, Mass.), Peter Karmanos, Jr. (Raleigh, N.C.), Ron Mason (East Lansing, Mich.) and Doug Weight (Warren, Mich.) have been selected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as the Class of 2013, USA Hockey announced today. The date and location of the induction event will be announced later this summer.
 
"This is a class that represents extraordinary contribution and success in many different areas of our sport," said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. "It's a truly remarkable collection of individuals, all so very deserving of their place among immortals in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame."

The owner and chief executive officer of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, Peter Karmanos, Jr., has used his business acumen to build an empire of hockey at all levels of the game in the United States for more than five decades. In 1994, he acquired the Hartford Whalers and two seasons later moved the team to Raleigh, N.C. Since the team's arrival in North Carolina, the Hurricanes have enjoyed success both on and off the ice, highlighted by winning the Stanley Cup in 2006. In addition, the team has advanced to the conference finals three times in the last 11 seasons and captured the Eastern Conference title in 2002 and 2006. The Hurricanes were recognized as the top hockey franchise and second-ranked franchise in all of sports in 2009 by ESPN in the "Ultimate Standings," a collection of data and survey results that take into account a team's on-ice success as well as its community impact and overall fan experience. As retired executive chairman of the board for Detroit-based Compuware, he has sponsored one of America's most successful youth hockey programs of the same name. Karmanos also owns the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, the ECHL's Florida Everblades and several arenas. In 2012 he received USA Hockey's Distinguished Achievement Award, and in 1998 the NHL honored him with the Lester Patrick Award for his outstanding service to hockey in the United States.


U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductees are chosen on the basis of extraordinary contribution to the sport of hockey in the United States.


(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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