Roy Mlakar (born September 10, 1950 in Parma, Ohio) is the former president and CEO of the Ottawa Senators professional ice hockey club of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Scotiabank Place arena. He was also the alternate governor of the Senators.[1] He is a former executive with the Los Angeles Kings.
Personal life
editMlakar is married. He and wife Tamera each have two daughters. Mlakar was director with various charities in Ottawa, including the Sens Foundation, the Candlelighters and the Ottawa Senators 65 Roses Sports Club. He was also a director with the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame. He has received several awards for his community work, including the Brian Kilrea Award in 2005 and the United Way Community Builder Award in 2006.[1]
Career
editProvidence Reds
editMlakar was hired by the Providence Reds of the AHL in 1973. He served as director of public relations and was later promoted to the position of assistant general manager working with then Providence GM John Muckler.
New Haven Nighthawks
editIn 1978 Mlakar joined the New Haven Nighthawks the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings. He spent 11 seasons with the team, winning the James C. Hendy Memorial Award as the AHL's Executive of the Year in 1985.
Los Angeles Kings
editMlakar joined the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. He spent 7 seasons with the team, five as an executive vice-president and two as club president. He was instrumental in bringing Wayne Gretzky to the Kings from the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993 under his leadership. During his tenure with Los Angeles, the Kings set a California professional sports record with 282 consecutive sellouts.
Pittsburgh Penguins
editFollowing his stint with the Kings, Mlakar served as chief operating officer for the Pittsburgh Penguins for two seasons before joining the Senators
Ottawa Senators
editMlakar was appointed president and chief executive officer of the Ottawa Senators on June 3, 1996. He took on responsibilities for Scotiabank Place in May 1998. In 2007, the Senators made it to the Stanley Cup Finals where they played the Anaheim Ducks, eventually losing in 5 games. At the end of the 2008-2009 regular season, having concluded a disappointing season in which the team missed the playoffs, the team announced on June 16, 2009 that Mlakar would be relieved of his duties upon the expiration of his contract on June 30, 2009.
References
edit- Ottawa Senators Media Guide 2007–08. Ottawa Senators Hockey Club. 2007. p. 7.
- ^ a b "Ottawa Senators - Team - Roy Mlakar". Ottawa Senators. Retrieved 2009-02-03.