OHL Ottawa 67's

Hunter named OHL Executive of the Year

Published on April 15, 2004 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Ottawa 67's News Release


Toronto - The Ontario Hockey League today announced that London Knights Vice-President and General Manager Mark Hunter is the OHL Executive of the Year for the 2003-04 season.

The 41-year-old native of Petrolia, guided the Knights to a record season both on and off the ice. The Knights won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the OHL regular season champions after posting a 53-11-2-2 record and established a new OHL record with 110 points.

The team also set a new attendance record with 284,439 fans attending games at the John Labatt Centre during the 2003-04 regular season. The team average of 8,366 fans per game included more than 4,000 season ticket holders.

The Knights hosted two special league events during the 2003-04 season. Hunter was instrumental in the success of the opening game of the RE/MAX Canada-Russia Challenge at the John Labatt Centre in November and the Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in January.

Hunter was the first overall pick in the OHL draft in 1979 and played two seasons with the Brantford Alexanders before a 12-year career in the National Hockey League. He returned to the OHL in 1995 to coach the Sarnia Sting. Mark and Dale Hunter purchased the Knights in May 2000.

Since 2000, the Knights have had eight players selected in the NHL Entry Draft, including Rick Nash, the first overall pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2002, and Corey Perry, a first round pick of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2003. London forwards David Bolland and Rob Schremp are both expected to be early picks in the NHL Draft this June.

Hunter constructed the current Knights roster predominantly through the OHL Priority Selection process, selecting 17 players on their current roster. The Knights are currently playing the Guelph Storm in the Direct Energy Western Conference Championship Series for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy.

Hunter, who lives in Oil Springs with his wife Linda and their three children, is actively involved with several local and national charities, including the Canadian Alzheimer's Society and the Canadian Cancer Society.

The OHL Executive of the Year is selected by the Ontario Hockey League's Executive Council and is the OHL nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Executive of the Year Award.

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