The hockey industry has been Lindsay Hofford's career for over three decades, making him a renaissance man with vast experience. His knowledge of the game of hockey extends well beyond his playing and renowned coaching careers and into the realm of the business side of the sport.

​

Coaching younger players and assisting them in their advancement into more competitive leagues was Hofford's first interest. The Ontario Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, and the Canadian Hockey League were all leagues in which Hofford was employed as a professional coach. Before starting his own company, Hofford gained experience as a coach at multiple levels of competition with a wide range of athletes throughout his career.

​

To this day, Hofford is the Eastern Director of Scouting for the NHL and the owner of Pro Hockey Development, which is widely regarded as one of the world's most successful hockey development organizations.

​

Decades of Hockey Coaching Under Lindsay Hofford's Direction

​

In the course of his long career in the hockey industry, Hofford spent a significant portion of his time assisting younger players in the development of their abilities so that they may progress up the ranks. In the early 1990s, he was the founder and CEO of Pro Hockey Development. He also worked as the Director of Hockey at the Hill Academy in Vaughan, which is located in the Canadian province of Ontario.

​

A career in coaching that began with minor hockey and progressed into the junior ranks of the Ontario Hockey League was developed by Hofford. After spending three years as a coach in the Ontario Hockey League, he moved to Lethbridge and continued his career in the Western Hockey League for another three years.

​

From 2010 to 2019, Hofford utilized the coaching experience he gained over his career to pursue a scouting role. From the years 2010 and 2015, he was the Director of Amateur Scouting for the London Knights, and between 2015 and 2019, he held the same position for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

​

Lindsay Hofford is a successful coach who has worked at every level, including the AHL, OHL, CHL, and CJHL. More than two hundred current or former National Hockey League players, such as Corey Perry, Mitch Marner, Austin Matthews, Brent Seabrook, and Rick Nash, were among those he coached or helped draft.

​

Changing Gears to Focus on Business

​

Even though he knew he would never leave the hockey profession, Hofford didn't feel he was destined to be a coach for the rest of his life. After some time, Hoffman came to the conclusion that he should stop coaching in order to concentrate on expanding his business. During this period, he was also promoted to Director of Scouting for the London Knights. As a result, six years of his life were spent as one of the most productive in the history of the league's scouting department.

​

Hofford's expertise as a scout was finally noticed by the executives of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who play in the National Hockey League. After working as a scout for the Maple Leafs for only a single year, Hoffman was allowed to advance to the role of Eastern Director of Scouting. He continues to serve in this capacity now.

​

Education

​

Before he was successful in the hockey industry, Lindsay Hofford had to juggle a demanding schedule that included employment, education, and several athletic pursuits. Most of his days began around 5:30 in the morning, and he spent his time assisting his family on the dairy farm. He believes that developing a solid work ethic is one of the factors that contributed to his success as a hockey player, as a hockey coach, and in his commercial pursuits.

​

After completing high school in Wellington, Ontario, Hofford relocated to Guelph, Ontario, to continue his education at the University of Guelph. While attending the University of Guelph, he competed in ice hockey for the Guelph Gryphons and earned degrees in Sociology and Political Science.

​

He was born in Sudbury, Ontario, and received his early education there up until the age of nine.

​

Moved to Wellington, Ontario, and continued their education there until they turned 18 years old

​

Took up residence in Guelph, Ontario, with the intention of studying at the University of Guelph.

​

Hofford started a corporate career at a computer company just two days after he graduated from the University of Guelph. This work eventually led to his moving to Toronto, where he resides. While working as a Marketing Representative for an air purification company in Toronto, he started coaching hockey on a volunteer basis. His first job was in the city of Toronto.

As soon as she started working as a coach in Toronto, Lindsay Hofford was met with instant success and quickly advanced through the ranks. After working there for a brief period, he decided to start his own business and went on to establish Pro Hockey Development. He was completely unaware that a low-level volunteer coaching position in Toronto would serve as the springboard for a successful career in ice hockey.

​

After 26 years of operation, Pro Hockey Development has grown to become one of the continent's most successful hockey development organizations.

​

Put the Family First

​

Hofford's love for hockey is unyielding, but his love for his family is far more important to him. Callum Hofford, Rachel Hofford, Adam Panacci, and Nicole Panacci are his children. He also has a daughter named Nicole Panacci. Adam Panacci is now playing hockey in Bonnyville, Alberta before beginning his studies at the university. Callum graduated from Salem State University, and Rachael graduated from Western University. Nicole Panacci follows in her father's footsteps and is enrolled at the University of Guelph.

​

Born in 1994, Callum Hofford is a graduate of Salem State University.

​

1996 was the year of Rachael Hofford's birth, and she received her education at Western University.

​

Adam Panacci was born in 1999 and played hockey in the city of Bonnyville, in the province of Alberta.

​

Nicole Panacci is a graduate of the University of Guelph. She was born in the year 2000.

​

Hofford is overflowing with pride for his offspring and credits his doting parents and happy childhood for instilling in him the value of family above everything else. He was the middle child of three that Ian and Catherine Hofford welcomed into the world. Unfortunately, when Lindsay Hofford was just two years old, her father suffered a spinal cord injury that left him a person with quadriplegia.

​

During his entire life, he observed how his mother cared for his father and worked very hard to provide for the family. Hofford attributes a significant portion of his work ethic to witnessing his mother accomplish seemingly impossible tasks.

​

While continuously climbing to new professional and personal heights in hockey and business, Lindsay Hofford never stops being there for his friends and family in all of their undertakings.