The Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) is saddened to learn of the passing of Phil Mazzone, who died January 6^th at his home in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Mazzone was instrumental in the formation of the PHPA Career Enhancement Program (CEP); a service many professional hockey players consider to be the best non-collectively bargained program offered by the PHPA.

In 1997, Mazzone was hired by the PHPA to design, develop, and execute what has become the Career Enhancement Program to assist PHPA Members with their transition to a post hockey career.  Mazzone’s original 90-day contract morphed into a full-time position with the PHPA due to the overwhelming response from players.  By the end of the program’s second year, 220 players had enrolled.  

Now in its 24^th year of operation, the CEP has assisted over 2,100 players and Alumni with a range of services such as education upgrades, employment placements, and preparation of players for their post-hockey career, boasting the largest enrollment of any program of its kind for professional athletes.

“The CEP wouldn’t have the stature and recognition it does today without the foresight and dedication put forth by Phil Mazzone,” said PHPA Executive Director Larry Landon.  “It is truly remarkable how many lives Phil positively impacted through the advancement of the CEP as well as his teaching career before then.”

Prior to his tenure at the PHPA, Mazzone was a long-time educator who was experienced in helping high school students transition to post secondary education or the workforce, while helping hundreds of student-athletes achieve their goal of attaining a college scholarship.  In fact, it was Mazzone who was instrumental in helping Landon obtain a hockey scholarship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) where he majored in Business before embarking on his professional hockey career. 

“Phil was a like a second Dad to me.  He helped me obtain a University scholarship and pushed me to become the very best I could possibly be.  Once I became Executive Director of the PHPA, I looked to him to help establish a program that would help others in a similar way to how he helped me.  The program he created has stood the test of time, having helped thousands of players and their family members,” said Landon.  “All those who Phil and his successors assisted will forever be indebted to a very special man.”

“It truly is an honour to carry on the direction of the PHPA’s Career Enhancement Program and its legacy that Phil established,” added current CEP Coordinator, Steve Carney.  “He had a genuine love of helping athletes and created a program for the PHPA unlike any other in professional sports.”

Mazzone retired from the PHPA in 2004.  In 2016, he and his successor, Rick Gorman, were unanimously voted by the PHPA Executive Committee as co-recipients of the PHPA Curt Leichner Distinguished Member Award, the Association’s highest honor, presented annually to a member(s) of the hockey community who has made significant contributions towards the advancement of professional minor league hockey, and has continued to diligently serve the sport. 

In 2016, Mazzone was recognized by A.N. Myer Secondary School where he taught from 1977-1993, when the school unveiled the Phil Mazzone Sports Complex, a state-of-the-art athletic facility featuring four basketball courts which double as tennis courts as well as shuffle board courts. 

More details to follow.