ECHL Mourns Loss Of Former Team Executive Milne

By Andrew Johnston  Published on: Tuesday June 17, 2008

PRINCETON, N.J. – The ECHL and its member teams mourn the loss and express their condolences to the family and friends of Frank Milne, who passed away suddenly on Friday. He was 74 years old.

The family will receive friends at George Darte Funeral Chapel in St. Catherines, Ontario on Monday from 7-9 p.m. and Tuesday from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. and the memorial service will be Wednesday at 1 p.m.

“Frank and I met 50 years ago this December and we played together from 1958-60,” said Patrick J. Kelly, who is Commissioner Emeritus of the ECHL after serving as Commissioner of the league from its beginning in 1988 until 1996. “He was instrumental for the ECHL to put a team into Charleston, S.C.”

Milne was a founder of the South Carolina Stingrays and served as vice president and general manager of the team until selling his interest in 1995. The success of the Stingrays helped spark the growth of the ECHL and minor professional hockey in the South. Milne oversaw the move of the Raleigh Ice Caps to Augusta, Ga. where the Lynx celebrated their 10th anniversary in 2007-08, and returned to the ECHL with Pensacola in 2003-04 and served as vice president and alternate governor for the Ice Pilots for two seasons.

He served as director of team sports for International Management Group as well as owning his own player agent company. He represented countless hockey players over the years including Tim Kerr, who owned the Ice Pilots from 2003-05, Barry Beck, Ron Duguay, Danny Gare, Dale Hunter, Reggie Leach and Randy Carlyle.

Milne played in the American Hockey League Eastern Hockey League and Western Hockey League before a knee injury ended his career. Following a career in retail lumber, he returned to hockey in 1970 as general manager and coach of St. Catherine’s in the Ontario Hockey League.