Doug Palazzari, who has spent the last six years as executive director of USA Hockey, has resigned his position, effective immediately.
“Under Doug’s leadership over the past several years, the national office has been successfully re-organized, the United States has been highly competitive in international play and financially, we are looked to with envy by many of our fellow national governing bodies,” said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. “We thank Doug for his passionate service to USA Hockey and wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
A national search will begin immediately to find a successor to Palazzari.
“I enjoyed my time at USA Hockey tremendously,” said Palazzari, “I’m proud of the things that have been accomplished over the past six years and know that the organization will continue to make great strides as it moves forward. It was time for a change, both for myself and USA Hockey.”
Palazzari came to USA Hockey in 1991 and directed the organization’s youth and education programs until he was appointed executive director on June 12, 1999.
A member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, Palazzari had a brilliant playing career. He spent four years (1970-74) at Colorado College and led the Tigers in scoring both in 1972 and 1974, earning NCAA All-America, First Team All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association and WCHA Most Valuable Player honors during those same seasons.
Following his collegiate career, Palazzari spent eight seasons (1974-82) playing professional hockey in the St. Louis Blues system. He registered 38 points on 18 goals and 20 assists in 108 regular-season games in the National Hockey League, but made his greatest impact while playing for the Salt Lake City Golden Eagles of the Central Hockey League, the Blues’ top minor league affiliate at the time. Palazzari was twice honored as the CHL’s Most Valuable Player (1978 and 1980) and was tabbed as the league’s All-Time Greatest Player by The Hockey News in 1997. He also received the American Hockey Association of the United States (now USA Hockey) Outstanding Player Award in 1978 while playing for Salt Lake City.
Palazzari’s international playing experience includes being selected as a member of the 1973 and 1974 U.S. Men’s National Teams that participated in the IIHF B-Pool World Championship, helping Team USA capture first place in 1974. He also represented the United States in the inaugural Canada Cup tournament in 1976.
