The Smith Entertainment Group hired longtime agent Chris Armstrong as president of hockey operations for the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday morning.
“We are excited to welcome Chris to SEG’s leadership team,” said Ryan Smith, the billionaire professional sports magnate and governor of the Utah Hockey Club, in a press release. “He has built strong relationships with top players, agents and executives throughout the hockey world throughout his career, and his unique background and diverse skill set will be critical as we look to create the best possible hockey experience for our community, fans, players, coaches and management.”
Armstrong will also serve as the team’s alternate governor.
He has spent the last 14 years at the Wasserman agency, where he most recently served as Wasserman’s executive vice president of talent, innovation and strategic development. Armstrong helped build the firm and the acquisition strategy of the company’s hockey division six years ago. He was also involved in negotiating several major deals for high-level NHL executives while also driving growth for other content and brand initiatives.
Armstrong was also part of Wasserman’s golf operations, managing professional golfers including Utah native Tony Finau.
Armstrong also has experience as a hockey player and attended McGill University in Montreal, Canada. After his playing career, he worked as a student assistant on the program team and was an amateur scout for McGill in the Ontario Hockey League.
