Utah's new hire was once under scrutiny by NHLPA for representing GM
All signs point to Chris Armstrong of the Wasserman Agency, who actions were once reviewed by the NHLPA, being named to a very high level position with Utah HC
Several insiders are reporting that the NHL's newest owner, Ryan Smith with Utah HC, is making a high-profile hire in Chris Armstrong of the Wasserman Agency. Armstrong may be a familiar name to some, especially if they followed the story of Kyle Dubas leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs last year.
Several reports say Armstrong already has an agreement with Smith, and an announcement will be coming soon. While his position hasn't been named, it sounds like a President or Vice-President of Hockey Operations, with the team's GM answering to him.
Armstrong also represented Dubas during his time in Toronto. When Dubas left after the Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHLPA launched a review. Wasserman also represents Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews.
It's not clear right now whether the investigation was concluded, and what, if any, findings were made. Armstrong is, or was, predominantly a golf agent, and did not represent any NHL players. His agency, however, is quite prominent among NHLers and represents some big names. Whether any of this will come back to haunt Smith for his decision remains to be seen.
| POLL | ||
Should Utah be able to hire Chris Armstrong after the NHLPA reviewed his relationship with Kyle Dubas? | ||
| Yes | 33 | 34.7 % |
| No | 25 | 26.3 % |
| Depends on what may have been found | 32 | 33.7 % |
| Not sure | 5 | 5.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
