Page 15 - aruba-today-20201119

A15
sports Thursday 19 November 2020

Panthers hire Peterson, NHL's first Black assistant GM

By STEPHEN WHYNO underserved communities.
AP Hockey Writer "His substantive hockey
The Florida Panthers on experience as a player,
Tuesday hired Brett Peter- significant developmental
son as an assistant general and evaluation skills and
manager, making him the business acumen as a ne-
first Black executive to hold gotiator combine to form
that position in the NHL. an elite skill set that is very
Peterson's hiring comes difficult to find in our sport,"
days after the nearby Mi- Zito said in a release sent
ami Marlins hired Kim Ng as by the Panthers. "There are
the first female GM in Major many who can excel in
League Baseball. The NFL's one of those disciplines but
Miami Dolphins have a few who excel in all three."
Black GM, Chris Grier, and The Panthers said Peterson
coach, Brian Flores. will take an active role in
"I don't think they're just go- their foundation's com-
ing out to get people — I munity programs aimed at
think they've identified peo- making the sport more in-
ple that are good at what clusive in South Florida.
they do and hard-working "I have worked with Brett
and excited," Peterson said for a number of years, and
on a conference call with it's not surprising that his
reporters. "It just so happens This image provided by the Wasserman Media Group shows Brett Peterson, who was hired as an skills were coveted by a
to be that a couple of us assistant general manager by the Florida Panthers NHL hockey club on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. front office," said Wasser-
Associated Press
are African-American and man Hockey executive VP
one of us is a woman and and a third," Peterson said. Bill Zito and fellow assistant level. He treats people the Markus Lehto, who took
that shouldn't matter. We "It's going to be exciting Paul Krepelka. He was pre- right way. He's extremely over many of Zito's clients
want the best candidates." times because I think oth- viously vice president of smart. Players love him, re- at Acme World Sports when
Among its recent anti-rac- er people will realize that hockey for Wasserman Me- spect him." Zito became assistant GM
ism and diversity initiatives, things are possible and dia Group and has been Peterson played five pro of the Columbus Blue Jack-
the NHL formed an execu- they should be. an NHLPA certified agent seasons in the minors after ets.
tive inclusion council that There's never really been a since 2009. winning a national title dur- "I expect that many of the
aims to increase minority hard stop, but there hasn't "It's a great move by the ing his time at Boston Col- same qualities that made
participation in front offices been this type of opportu- Florida Panthers, and Was- lege. The Northborough, him a successful agent —
and on coaching staffs. nity yet, so I'm happy that serman Hockey will cer- Massachusetts, native also his character, his respect
Peterson said his hiring is a we can hopefully create tainly miss him," Wasserman advises and consults for a within the industry, and his
milestone that he called some more." Hockey senior vice presi- nonprofit organization that understanding of all lev-
"hard to put into words." The 39-year-old Peterson dent Judd Moldaver said provides mentoring and els of the game — will also
"I'm just happy that now has a background as a in a phone interview. "He hockey programs for un- make him a successful
there can be a second player agent just like GM played the game at a high derprivileged youth and executive."q
Zverev grinds out 3-set win over Schwartzman in ATP Finals

LONDON (AP) — Alexander ond set. The 23-year-old man's unforced errors.
Zverev kept his tournament German recovered and Djokovic has won the elite,
hopes alive with a 6-3, broke Schwartzman twice season-ending event five
4-6, 6-3 victory over Diego in the third set. Schwartz- times — one short of Roger
Schwartzman on Wednes- man, who struggled with Federer's record.
day at the season-ending unforced errors, sent a fore- On Thursday, Rafael Nadal
ATP Finals. hand into the net to end will play Stefanos Tsitsipas
With Zverev's victory, Daniil the match. with a semifinal place at
Medvedev can advance The 2018 champion must stake.
to the semifinals if he beats now beat Djokovic on Fri- Nadal has lost to Tsitsipas
top-ranked Novak Djokov- day to advance. It will be just once in six meetings —
ic later Wednesday in the a rematch of the final from at the 2019 Madrid Open.
empty O2 Arena. Djokovic two years ago when Zverev He beat Tsitsipas here last
can also advance with a won in straight sets. year in the round robin be- Diego Schwartzman of Argentina plays a return to Alexander
match to spare but must "I'm happy to give myself a fore the 22-year-old Greek Zverev of Germany during their tennis match at the ATP World Fi-
win in straight sets. chance to go to the semifi- went on to win the title. nals tennis tournament at the O2 arena in London, Wednesday,
Zverev, coming off what nals," he said on the court. "Gonna be another tough Nov. 18, 2020.
he had described as one "I need to win every match, one," Nadal said Tuesday, Associated Press
of his worst matches of the otherwise I'm out, so I've looking ahead to the Tsit- "Play rallies, apply pressure, the semifinals, faces Rublev.
season in his opening loss got to go in with that mind- sipas match after losing to serve well," he said. "It's part The Russian is 0-2 and can't
to Medvedev on Monday, set. I went to that mindset Dominic Thiem. "I think play- of the game that I want to advance.
led 3-1 in the second set today, and I did my job." ing like this, I am confident play against Rafa. I have to "Doesn't matter even if I'm
before his Argentine oppo- Schwartzman broke early in that I can have my chanc- start strong and finish even already out," he said post-
nent battled back with two the first set, but like in Mon- es in the tournament." stronger." match Tuesday, "still I have
breaks. day's loss to Djokovic he Tsitsipas, after beating tour- Nadal has never won the to play my maximum, be-
A visibly frustrated Zverev immediately gave it back. nament newcomer Andrey ATP Finals. cause in the end it's (the)
fired a ball into the empty Zverev broke again for a Rublev, said he'll play ag- Also Thursday, Thiem, who best players and I need to
stands after losing the sec- 4-2 lead thanks to Schwartz- gressively against Nadal. has already qualified for perform my best."q