Professional Hockey Writers' Association

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The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) is a North American professional association for ice hockey journalists writing for newspapers, magazines and websites. The PHWA was founded in 1967 and has approximately 180 voting members. [1] The association was founded as the National Hockey League Writers' Association, then renamed itself to the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in 1971.

Contents

Functions

PHWA members vote for the following seven National Hockey League (NHL) individual awards: [2] Hart Memorial Trophy, Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, Calder Memorial Trophy, James Norris Memorial Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy, Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, and Frank J. Selke Trophy. [3] [2] Members of the National Hockey League Broadcasters' Association vote for the Jack Adams Award (coaching), [1] [3] while the NHL general managers vote for the Vezina Trophy (top goalie). [1] [3] Members of the National Hockey League Players' Association vote for the Ted Lindsay Award. There are several other NHL awards, including the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award and the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. [3]

The members of the PHWA also vote for the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame to professional hockey writers.

The association is dedicated to "preserving the rights and improving the access for members of the North American–based media who cover the sport of hockey all over the world". [4] In 2015, president Scott Burnside thought the PHWA was facing new challenges since the number of newspaper and radio journalists were decreasing, and being replaced by social media, independent bloggers, and teams producing their own content. [5]

History

The association was founded as the National Hockey League Writers' Association, then renamed itself to the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in 1971, to distinguish itself from NHL teams. [6]

Following a physical altercation between Detroit Red Wings' coach Doug Barkley and a Newark Star-Ledger reporter during the 1975–76 season, president Dan Stoneking protested to NHL president Clarence Campbell writing that the PHWA was "appalled, disgusted and angered over the incident" which denied post-game access to the team locker room, and demanded a public apology while the assault charges were under investigation. [7]

During the 1976 Stanley Cup Final, Stoneking supported equal access to locker rooms for male and female sportswriters. [8] [9] When Montreal Canadiens' coach Scotty Bowman opposed females in the locker room until the players were dressed, female reporters contested that access was required to do their job as timely as their male counterparts to meet publication deadlines. Stoneking presented the PHWA case to NHL president Campbell that both males and females should be allowed or neither. [8] He claimed that approximately half of NHL teams allowed females to post-game access the locker rooms as of the 1977–78 season, and three quarters of teams by the 1980–81 season. [8]

Presidents

List of presidents of the National Hockey League Writers' Association (1966–1971), and the Professional Hockey Writers' Association since 1971:

YearsPresidentMedia employmentRef
1966–1968 Tom Fitzgerald The Boston Globe [10]
1968–1970 Red Fisher Montreal Star
1970–1971 George Gross Toronto Telegram [11]
1971–1972 Jack Berry Detroit Free Press [6]
1972–1974 Red Burnett Toronto Star [12]
1974–1975 Bill Brennan The Detroit News [13]
1975–1977 Dan Stoneking Minneapolis Star [14]
1977–1979 Bob Verdi Chicago Tribune [15]
1979–1981 Bill Fleischman Philadelphia Daily News [10]
1981–1985 Francis Rosa The Boston Globe
1985–1987 Rod Beaton USA Today
1987–1993 Scott Morrison Toronto Sun
1993–1999 Jim Kelley The Buffalo News
1999–2001 Helene Elliott Los Angeles Times
2001–2003 Larry Brooks New York Post
2003–2013 Kevin Allen USA Today
2013–2017 Scott Burnside ESPN [16]
2017–2018 Mark Spector Sportsnet [10]
2019–present Frank Seravalli The Sports Network

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Duhatschek, Eric (April 8, 2011). "Handing out the NHL hardware". TheGlobeandMail.com. The Globe and Mail, Inc. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "PHWA Awards". Professional Hockey Writers Association. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "2015 NHL Awards". NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Home". hockeywriters.net.
  5. ↑ Erickson, Kelly (February 22, 2015). "Q & A With Scott Burnside". Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  6. 1 2 The Canadian Press (January 20, 1971). "Hockey writers change name". The Albertan . Calgary, Alberta. p. 13.
  7. ↑ Colletti, Al (November 18, 1975). "Off-ice violence: Scribe assault rap against Barkley". Ottawa Citizen . The Canadian Press. p. 23.
  8. 1 2 3 Stoneking, Dan (September 30, 1978). "A writer is a writer – period". The Minneapolis Star . p. 10.; Stoneking, Dan (September 10, 1981). "Women reporters still getting cold showers". The Minneapolis Star . p. 46.
  9. ↑ Cohen, Ben (February 4, 2007). "Dan Stoneking, print and radio journalist". Star Tribune . Minneapolis, Minnesota. p. B6.
  10. 1 2 3 "About the PHWA". Professional Hockey Writers' Association. 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Barry[sic] Named V.P. Of NHL Sportswriters". The Evening News . Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. Associated Press. January 21, 1970. p. 8.
  12. ↑ "Dulmage Returned". Windsor Star . Windsor, Ontario. January 26, 1972. p. 28.
  13. ↑ "Brennan heads hockey writers". Montreal Star . Montreal, Quebec. January 30, 1974. p. 66.
  14. ↑ "Dulmage bows out". Windsor Star . Windsor, Ontario. January 22, 1975. p. 34.
  15. ↑ "Verdi to head group". South Idaho Press . Burley, Idaho. January 26, 1977. p. 7.
  16. ↑ Holmes-Hill, Millar (November 15, 2024). "Ex-Windsor Star sports journalist inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame". Windsor Star . Retrieved May 8, 2025.
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