The ECHL’s Florida Everblades now have something in common with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.
They share an owner.
The NHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the Penguins from The Fenway Sports Group to Hoffmann Family of Companies on Tuesday, June 23. The sale, which was announced on Dec. 19, 2025, is expected to close imminently. Commissioner Gary Bettman told NHL.com the transaction cost will be approximately $1.75 billion.
The Hoffmann family is well-known in Southwest Florida as patriarch David Hoffmann and wife Jerri have lived in Naples since 2015, and their company owns a large catalog of area real estate, businesses, the Everblades, along with their home Hertz Arena.
Geoff Hoffmann, CEO of HF Companies’ Private Equity arm will serve as Governor. Greg Hoffmann, CEO of the firm’s Real Estate arm; Kyle Dubas, General Manager & President of Hockey Operations of the Pittsburgh Penguins; and David Hoffmann, Founder & Chairman of HF Companies, will each serve as Alternate Governors.
“This is a defining moment for our family,” said Geoff Hoffmann in a release. “The Penguins represent everything Hoffmann Family of Companies stands for — community, excellence and long-term thinking. We look forward to building on the team’s success by providing support and resources to both Kyle Dubas and the hockey operations team, as well as the established leadership group on the business side. We’re proud to represent this storied franchise and are eager to become an active, invested part of the Pittsburgh community.”
Fenway Sports Group bought controlling interest of the Penguins in 2021 for $900 million from Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle. FSG owns several sports properties, including the Boston Red Sox, which holds spring training in Fort Myers at JetBlue Park, and Fenway Park in Boston.
“Actually, the deal was made a year ago, so based on the valuations at that time, that was consistent with what Sportico and Forbes and CNBC were doing, although at the time and even now I think it was low,” Bettman said of the $1.75 billion valuation for the Penguins to NHL.com. “Having said that, it’s nice that the Hoffmanns got a good deal and it’s nice that Fenway in five years doubled its investment. I still think it’s low, but that’s OK.”
Hockey isn’t new to the Hoffmann family. David Hoffmann purchased the Everblades and Hertz Arena in August 2019. What has followed on the ice is nothing but success as Florida has won four of its five Kelly Cup titles under his ownership, including the 2026 ECHL title last week over the Kansas City Mavericks.
In 2022, Geoff Hoffmann and his wife Megan founded Type 1 Timer Hockey, the only hockey camp in the United States designed specifically for youth living with Type 1 diabetes. Inspired by their son Henry’s diagnosis at age 7, the camp has grown from 40 to nearly 150 campers and is held annually at Hertz Arena.
As far as the Everblades becoming the ECHL affiliate of the Penguins, Pittsburgh has had an affiliation agreement with the Wheeling Nailers for 29 years. The Blades had been affiliated with the St. Louis Blues for the last two seasons, but the Blues announced June 22 that they have moved their ECHL affiliation to the Worcester (Mass.) Railers with an agreement through the 2030-31 season, leaving Florida looking for a new partner.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: NHL approves Hoffmann Family’s purchase of Pittsburgh Penguins
Reporting by Ed Reed, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ed Reed, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
