SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League’s Board of Governors has announced that Scott Howson has agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension that will see him continue to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Hockey League.
Howson’s current contract had been scheduled to run through the 2024-25 season.
“The Board of Governors is pleased to extend Scott Howson as President and CEO of the American Hockey League,” said Laurence Gilman, senior vice president/governor of the Toronto Marlies and chair of the AHL’s Executive Committee. “Under Scott’s leadership, he has maintained a commitment to a high standard of excellence on and off the ice. We look forward to working together towards the continued success of the AHL.”
Howson was unanimously elected as the tenth President in league history in 2020 and has already led the AHL and its member teams through unprecedented challenges, beginning with navigating through two seasons that required diligent management of protocols and logistics to ensure the league could operate in a safe and effective manner during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over Howson’s first four seasons, the AHL has expanded to 32 franchises; increased its Calder Cup Playoff field to 23 teams to allow for greater player development through meaningful late-season and postseason experience; implemented a unified 72-game schedule in the regular season; and set a variety of benchmarks in ticket and corporate sales revenues. Howson has also actively advocated for diversity and inclusion throughout the league, most notably with the addition in 2021 of women to the AHL’s roster of referees and linespeople for the first time.
A Toronto native, Howson came to the AHL following 26 years as an executive with the National Hockey League’s Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets organizations, with wide-ranging responsibilities including hockey operations and administration, player development, salary cap compliance, contract negotiations, scouting and evaluation, and business operations. He served as general manager of the Blue Jackets from 2007 to 2013, guiding the franchise to its first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance in 2009, and was also GM of the Oilers’ AHL affiliates from 1994 to 2007, reaching two Calder Cup Finals and serving as a member of the AHL Board of Governors.