(Niagara Falls, ON) The Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) is pleased to announce that Peter Vandermeer has been voted by the PHPA Executive Committee as the 2020 recipient of the PHPA Curt Leichner Distinguished Member Award.

The award, named in honor of former PHPA Executive Director, Curt Leichner, is presented annually to a member 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. 

Over a 15-year professional hockey career split between the ECHL, American Hockey League, and National Hockey League, Vandermeer was as a PHPA Player Representative for twelve (12) seasons, and served as an elected member of the PHPA Executive Committee for six (6) years.  He helped negotiate three (3) AHL-PHPA Collective Bargaining Agreements as a member of the PHPA Negotiating Committee, assisted with negotiations towards a contract extension for the Executive Director, participated in meetings and product testing with Reebok-CCM to help improve efficiencies, and helped make other key decisions for the PHPA including initiating the representation of Central Hockey League players, and authorizing the PHPA’s purchase of its own office building in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

“Peter was often looked upon by other Player Representatives as a voice of reason, and earned the respect of management throughout the American Hockey League through his efforts and input during collective bargaining negotiations,” said PHPA Executive Director Larry Landon.  “The countless contributions he made towards the PHPA were instrumental to our success, and I am thrilled the Executive Committee is recognizing the great work Peter did on behalf of the players for so many years.”

“This is an awesome, incredible honour, and I was honestly caught off guard when Larry called me to tell me I was this year’s recipient,” said Peter Vandermeer.  “I’m thrilled to be grouped together with those who have received this award before me.  I always hoped the things I did and worked on would be of value and help out the PHPA.  Looking out for my teammates is what I tried to do on the ice and is what I tried to do off the ice in my role with the PHPA.  I’m so humbled to be receiving this award.”

Vandermeer continues to serve the game through mentoring young hockey players within the Eckville Minor Hockey Association in Central Alberta and works with a group of sports agents at Thunder Creek Professional Player Management to help cultivate young talent.  He is also the President of Vandermeer Ventures which distributes premium, seasoned firewood throughout Alberta.

Vandermeer will be presented with the Award this June at the 2020 PHPA Annual Meeting of Player Representatives.  Previous recipients of the Award include Doug Messier (2008), Don Cherry and Ron MacLean (2009), Arlo Goodwin (2010), Darcy Regier (2011), Ron Jaros (2012), Claude Julien (2013), Ted Nolan (2014), Karen Bender (2015), Rick Gorman and Phil Mazzone (2016), Brad Treliving (2017), Bob Riley (2018), and Glenn Patrick (2019).

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About the PHPA

Since its inception in 1967, the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) has continued to serve as an advocate of player interests.  Currently, the PHPA is the certified, U.S. National Labor Relations Board collective bargaining representative for over 1,600 players across 57 teams throughout the American Hockey League and ECHL.  Visit PHPA.com, follow the PHPA on Facebook (fb.com/thephpa), Twitter (@thephpa), and Instagram (@thephpa).