Panthers executive named first black GM of U.S. National Team

USA Hockey made history on Thursday by appointing Brett Petersen as general manager for the 2024 World Championships.

Petersen, an assistant GM with the Florida Panthers, is the first-ever black GM of the U.S. National Team.

"I'm very happy that our game and our sport continues to evolve and grow where there can be 'firsts' and 'seconds' and 'thirds,’” Petersen said. “I think it just speaks to what USA Hockey has done creating opportunities for so many different people to play the game, myself included, and then to continue to fall in love with it and continue to want to chase our dreams to the highest level."

Before joining the Panthers’ front office in 2020, Petersen, also the first black assistant GM in NHL history, was the VP of Wasserman Media Group and served as an NHLPA-certified agent from 2009 up until his departure.

This year's World Championships are being held in Prague and Ostrava Czech Republic from May 10-26. USA, who finished fourth at Worlds last year, will compete in Group B, alongside France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland, Sweden and Slovakia.

Petersen will get an assist from the 10 NHL general managers on its advisory board — Kevyn Adams (Buffalo Sabres), Craig Conroy (Calgary Flames), Chris Drury (New York Rangers), Tom Fitzgerald (New Jersey Devils), Mike Grier (San Jose Sharks), Bill Guerin (Minnesota Wild), Lou Lamoriello (New York Islanders), Chris MacFarland (Colorado Avalanche), Don Waddell (Carolina Hurricanes) and Bill Zito (Panthers) — with roster construction.

"For me, this is just another opportunity to learn from a very established group of gentlemen," Peterson said. "Some of them I know well, some of them I know kind of well, and get to know what their thought processes are on things and, hopefully, continue to use that in my own growth and development as I continue to improve as an assistant GM."

Before moving into management, Petersen played four seasons of college hockey at Boston College and played five years of professional hockey — split between the AHL, ECHL and the International Hockey League — between 2004-05 to 2008-09.