Professional Hockey Writers' Association


The Professional Hockey Writers Association is a North American professional association for ice hockey journalists writing for newspapers, magazines and websites. The PHWA was founded in 1967 and has approximately 180 voting members. The association was founded as the National Hockey League Writers' Association, then renamed itself to the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in 1971.

Functions

PHWA members vote for the following seven National Hockey League individual awards: Hart Memorial Trophy, Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, Calder Memorial Trophy, James Norris Memorial Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy, Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, and Frank J. Selke Trophy. Members of the National Hockey League Broadcasters' Association vote for the Jack Adams Award, while the NHL general managers vote for the Vezina Trophy. Members of the National Hockey League Players' Association vote for the Ted Lindsay Award. There are several other NHL awards, including the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award and the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.
The members of the PHWA also vote for the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame to professional hockey writers.
The association is dedicated to "preserving the rights and improving the access for members of the North American–based media who cover the sport of hockey all over the world". In 2015, president Scott Burnside thought the PHWA was facing new challenges since the number of newspaper and radio journalists were decreasing, and being replaced by social media, independent bloggers, and teams producing their own content.

History

The association was founded as the National Hockey League Writers' Association, then renamed itself to the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in 1971, to distinguish itself from NHL teams.
Following a physical altercation between Detroit Red Wings' coach Doug Barkley and a Newark Star-Ledger reporter during the 1975–76 season, president Dan Stoneking protested to NHL president Clarence Campbell writing that the PHWA was "appalled, disgusted and angered over the incident" which denied post-game access to the team locker room, and demanded a public apology while the assault charges were under investigation.
During the 1976 Stanley Cup Final, Stoneking supported equal access to locker rooms for male and female sportswriters. When Montreal Canadiens' coach Scotty Bowman opposed females in the locker room until the players were dressed, female reporters contested that access was required to do their job as timely as their male counterparts to meet publication deadlines. Stoneking presented the PHWA case to NHL president Campbell that both males and females should be allowed or neither. He claimed that approximately half of NHL teams allowed females to post-game access the locker rooms as of the 1977–78 season, and three quarters of teams by the 1980–81 season.

Presidents

List of presidents of the National Hockey League Writers' Association, and the Professional Hockey Writers' Association since 1971:
YearsPresidentMedia employmentRef
1966–1968Tom FitzgeraldThe Boston Globe
1968–1970Red FisherMontreal Star
1970–1971George GrossToronto Telegram
1971–1972Jack BerryDetroit Free Press
1972–1974Red BurnettToronto Star
1974–1975Bill BrennanThe Detroit News
1975–1977Dan StonekingMinneapolis Star
1977–1979Bob VerdiChicago Tribune
1979–1981Bill FleischmanPhiladelphia Daily News
1981–1985Francis RosaThe Boston Globe
1985–1987Rod BeatonUSA Today
1987–1993Scott MorrisonToronto Sun
1993–1999Jim KelleyThe Buffalo News
1999–2001Helene ElliottLos Angeles Times
2001–2003Larry BrooksNew York Post
2003–2013Kevin AllenUSA Today
2013–2017Scott BurnsideESPN
2017–2018Mark SpectorSportsnet
2019–presentFrank SeravalliThe Sports Network