"George possesses one of the brightest and most innovative young minds in our game," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "He has immersed himself in all aspects of Player Safety during the last 12 months and his selection to run this department not only will maintain the stability and consistency in decision-making that have been essential to the Department's success but also will enable it to continue evolving in step with our game.
"We thank Stephane for the passion and dedication he brought to the National Hockey League from the day he first joined us soon after the Department of Player Safety's inception in 2011 and since taking over as the head of the department three years ago. We expect Stephane will play a valuable role in the transition process and we intend this season to utilize his many talents and relationships in the game to further other League initiatives outside of Player Safety as well."
An eighth-round selection (222nd overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1999 NHL Draft, Parros also played for the Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks (with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 2007), Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens during a nine-year NHL career. The native of Randolph, N.J., is a graduate of Princeton University, where he majored in economics. Parros played four seasons at Princeton and served as team captain during his senior season.
