The Hoffmann Commitment

From L to R: Geoff Hoffmann, David Hoffmann, Greg Hoffmann

For the Hoffmann family, acquiring the Pittsburgh Penguins wasn’t necessarily a long-held dream. “Because I never knew this was frickin’ possible,” said a delighted Geoff Hoffmann, incoming Governor of the Penguins, in a video released by the team after the NHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the team.

But they love the sport of hockey. It shows in their involvement at the grassroots level, as all four of Geoff’s boys play. Geoff and his wife, Megan, also established Type 1 Timer Hockey, the only hockey camp in the United States designed specifically for youth living with Type 1 diabetes. 

It shows in their involvement at the minor-league level, as they purchased the ECHL’s Florida Everblades a few years back.

And through the success of the Hoffmann Family of Companies, founded by family patriarch David Hoffmann, the opportunity to invest that passion at the highest level with an NHL franchise became possible. So, they pursued it with gusto. Now, they are officially the new owners of the storied franchise, after purchasing the Penguins from Fenway Sports Group. And they are here to stay.

“We are just incredibly excited to be here,” Geoff said during a press conference on Thursday (June 25). “It is a storied franchise in a lot of different ways. This is not an investment for us as you think of a financial investment. This is a commitment to a city, it’s a commitment to an organization. The Penguins are going to be in Pittsburgh, and always be in Pittsburgh as long as the Hoffmanns are part of it. The Hoffmanns plan to be part of this for generations to come. 

“We are really well-positioned, not only to continue the trajectory that the organization is on currently, but to make the investments that are required to remain competitive. And to create an incredibly special fan experience, which is something that we’re focused on too. We want this to be great for the community of Pittsburgh and for all of our fans.”

During the press conference, Geoff was flanked by David on his right, who stole the show with his humor and frankness, and his brother Greg on his left. David’s wife, Jerri, sat with her daughters-in-law and their children. Their presence reiterated that while HF Companies has grown into a global enterprise, it’s a family business at its core. Pairing that family feel, passion for hockey, and respect for the Penguins with their savvy business acumen is an exciting combination.

As for their approach to the team, Geoff said they will “absolutely” be present, though they won’t micromanage anything. The Hoffmanns, who run a leading executive search firm, DHR Global, with offices in Pittsburgh, do plan to bring in a President of Business Operations. Apart from that, “we've got the best GM and coach in the league, so that work is done,” said Geoff, referring to Kyle Dubas and Dan Muse, who were both in the front row.

They trust Dubas, saying that his vision, along with his talent as an NHL executive, is a major reason they wanted to get involved at this point. Geoff went on to say that as hockey fans, not just ownership, of course, they are invested in the team's success. But they will remain in a support function.

“In terms of making decisions on personnel, strategy, what’s happening on the ice, that’s Kyle’s department, for sure,” Geoff said. “We’ll make sure that he’s got the resources and that the team has the resources to pursue whatever opportunities they think fit. But that’s it. We won’t be making those decisions.”

They have learned a lot from stewarding the Florida Everblades, as the Hoffmanns created a winning culture there. The team has captured four of the last five Kelly Cup championships.

“And we plan to do the same thing here,” David said. “This is going to be wonderful. We’re going to give Kyle whatever he needs to bring the Stanley Cup back here. ... You will win in Pittsburgh. We’re committed to winning. Whatever it takes, we give the resources, we give the autonomy, we put the right people in place to win.”

As for their approach to the community, Geoff said they understand that in a city like Pittsburgh, what happens on the ice is not the only thing that resonates.

“It's bringing in the members of the community, it's supporting the community, it’s taking a vested interest in participating philanthropically, participating in events and creating an atmosphere where everyone is welcome and wants to be here,” Geoff said. “And that takes presence. So, you'll be seeing us in Pittsburgh regularly.”

“We bought a house here, so that’s a good sign that we’re going to be here,” David interjected. Geoff laughed and continued, “I was about to say, we bought a house in Squirrel Hill. So, rolled the dice a little bit in terms of the timing with the broader league, we close on July 1^st. But yeah, we're excited to be fixtures here in the community.”

The Hoffmanns touched on a few other points of interest. Read on for more.

THE EVERBLADES' FUTURE: David and Geoff were asked what happens with Florida, as Pittsburgh’s current ECHL affiliate is the Wheeling Nailers. The Hoffmanns said they want to keep the Everblades. “We're going through all those discussions right now. We'll have some more clarity on what happens at the East Coast level, I think, in the next couple of weeks,” Geoff said.

MARIO’S INVOLVEMENT: “Mario and I have spent some time together. He’s been as good as advertised, I think. Just a great, great guy. I’m really hopeful that he will be a part of this in whatever way, shape or form makes sense for him. But we would love for him to be a part of it. We know what he means to the Penguins, what he means to the city and what he means to the league, the NHL. Everybody would embrace him with open arms, especially the three of us up here.” -Geoff Hoffmann

DEVELOPING THE AREA: While they don’t have all of the history yet, the Hoffmanns understand that the development of the Lower Hill District is a complicated issue with a lot of stakeholders who need to be heard and taken care of. “I'm optimistic that we can get there,” said Geoff, calling the area a tremendous opportunity for both the team and the city. He said that they would love to create a space that people frequent beyond just home games with the expansion of the NHL schedule, “and making it hopefully the jewel of the area.”

PPG PAINTS ARENA: Geoff Hoffmann said they are happy with the facility, which opened in 2010. “It’s very well managed, very well-run, clean, and again, a good fan experience,” he said. “But I think with some improvements and modernization, we can make it an elite fan experience, and we absolutely plan to do that.” They plan to start those upgrades within the next 12-18 months, if not sooner. “We plan on touching pretty much every corner of the arena to make sure that it stays best-in-class,” Geoff said.

SPORTSNET PITTSBURGH: Right now, the regional broadcast is managed by New England Sports Network (NESN), which is owned by Fenway Sports Group. Geoff Hoffmann said there is one year remaining on that contract. There will need to be discussions about what the future looks like after that. "As you know, it’s a changing landscape in local broadcast media rights. But I can tell you we want to get our games broadcast and available in as many homes as people that would like to see it and want to make sure we do it in a way that is easy to access," he said.