Via Paul Kukla of Abel to Yzerman, it appears that Red Wings assistant GM/director of amateur scouting Kris Draper has invested in a professional pickleball league, per The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline:
It’s taking over the world … pic.twitter.com/ZdN8YlUUCn
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) August 1, 2023
PBX Paintball promises to give amateur pickleball players “experiences” in which they play pickleball against former Major League Baseball players and NHL Alumni Association members.
Here’s the company’s press release:
Retired NHL Stanley Cup Champs Patrick Sharp, Dave Bolland, Freddy Modin, and Kris Draper Join PBX
Hockey stars join retired players from other sports to help launch new pickleball venture
(CLEARWATER, Fla. – August 1, 2023) PBX Pickleball, the company that unites retired professional athletes with the pickleball community, has confirmed 3x Stanley Cup Champ Patrick Sharp, 2x Stanley Cup Champ Dave Bolland, and 1x Stanley Cup Champ Freddy Modin have signed with PBX Pickleball as PBX Pros, joining 4x Stanley Cup Champ and PBX advisor Kris Draper, and longtime NHL player, executive, and PBX co-founder Paul Holmgren.
Jarmo Kekäläinen, the current General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets and retired player, also announced he signed with PBX Pickleball as a PBX Pro.
Sharp, Bolland, Modin, Draper, Holmgren, and Kekäläinen will trade in their sticks and skates for a pickleball paddle to participate in the PBX Tour, PBX Pro-Ams, PBX Dream Weekends, and PBX Corporate Events starting later this year. Amateur pickleball players will have the opportunity to take the pickleball courts with retired hockey players, in addition to retired athletes from baseball, football, basketball, and other sports.
“PBX Pickleball offers an opportunity for amateur pickleball players of all levels to compete right alongside some of the best players and personalities from hockey, baseball, football, basketball, and more,” said Holmgren. “ Pickleball is a fantastic game, and we’ll have the opportunity to reignite that locker room camaraderie we all loved in hockey or the other sports and bring it to the pickleball court. I know Bolland, Draper, and Sharp also love the sport and will go out there to win and have fun.”
Additional advisors for PBX Pickleball include 3x MLB All-Star Kevin Youkilis, 4x World Series Champ Tino Martinez, 2x MLB All-Star Brad Penny, 18-year MLB veteran Kent Mercker, and NFL Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champ Golden Tate. The PBX advisors will also take the pickleball courts as PBX Pros.
As part of its outreach to athletes across major American sports, PBX Pickleball partnered with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) and the NHL Alumni Association. Additional partnerships will be announced soon. PBX Pickleball will incorporate retired players’ charities and other nonprofit organizations nationwide.
