The Smith Entertainment Group has hired longtime agent Chris Armstrong as the president of hockey operations for the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday morning.
“We are excited to welcome Chris to the SEG leadership team,” Ryan Smith, the billionaire pro sports magnate and the governor of Utah Hockey Club, said in a news release. “He has cultivated strong relationships with top players, agents, and executives across the hockey world throughout his career, and his unique background and diverse skill set will be crucial as we establish the greatest possible hockey experience for our community, fans, players, coaches, and front office.”
Armstrong will also serve as the team’s alternate governor.
He has spent the last 14 years with the Wasserman agency, where he most recently worked as the Executive Vice President for Talent, Innovation, and Strategic Development at Wasserman. Armstrong helped build the firm and acquisition strategy of the company’s hockey practice six years ago. He was also involved with negotiating several prominent contracts for high-level NHL executives, while maintaining the growth of 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 men’s hockey player, attending McGill University in Montreal, Canada. After his playing career, he served as a student assistant on the program’s staff and did amateur scouting for McGill in the Ontario Hockey League.
