There is a new name to watch regarding the potential sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Chicago-based Hoffmann family, owners of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, has emerged as a serious contender to purchase the NHL team from Fenway Sports Group.
David Hoffmann, founder and chairman of the Hoffmann Family of Companies, bought the Everblades from former Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos in 2019. He told the Naples Daily News at the time that he’d looked into buying both NHL and NBA teams.
The Everblades won three Kelly Cups in a row from 2022-24 before losing in the championship semifinals this season.
David’s son, Geoff, the company’s co-CEO, is also expected to be involved in the purchase.
Geoff Hoffmann and wife Megan have four boys, one of whom has type 1 diabetes. They created a hockey camp for children with that specific condition, which has been held at the ECHL team’s arena.
There is still work to do, so no one should assume this is a done deal. The sale price, should it close, is expected to be in the $1.75 billion range. Fenway bought the Penguins for approximately $900 million in November 2021.
