Luukko, former Flyers executive, accepts new challenge in Florida

When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently asked Peter Luukko to meet with Florida Panthers owner Vinnie Viola and possibly get involved with their franchise, the former Flyers president was reluctant.

Luukko, who 14 months ago abruptly resigned as president of the Flyers' parent company, Comcast-Spectacor, was content with his new lifestyle.

"I told him I had businesses I was involved with and was having a lot of fun," Luukko said Friday. "I was watching my boys play [hockey] on the weekend."

Luukko paused.

"I'm a big fan of Gary's, and in so many words, he said, 'Are you going to do me a favor or am I going to order you to meet with him,' " he recalled with a laugh.

They met, and Luukko said he was wowed by Viola's "passion and enthusiasm. He wants to put together a good team on the ice and a good business, and I just bought in."

On Friday, Luukko was named executive chairman of the Panthers' parent company, Sunrise Sports and Entertainment. He will be involved in hockey decisions but will spend most of his time on the business side - as he did with the Flyers.

Florida is last in the NHL in attendance, and the Panthers have missed the playoffs in 13 of the last 14 seasons.

Luukko, 55, who will sell his house in West Chester and keep his house in Avalon, will move to South Florida. He said he missed the sport.

"I really love it - the people, the crowds, the interaction," he said. "It's going to be a lot of fun. And I'll use the Chicago Blackhawks as an example. If someone called me up and said, 'Would you want to be president of the Blackhawks?' And if we won a Cup, I really wouldn't feel a part of it because they've built a great organization and have great players. I would just kind of be babysitting."

The Panthers will provide a challenge.

"The attendance is bad, the performance hasn't been good for years, but if you have a new owner who is committed to build it up, basically from scratch, I think it's a great challenge," Luukko said. "I had that opportunity with Ed Snider to build companies and build a building, and we had success on the ice most of the time. That's what you want to do. That's something I learned from Ed. He's an entrepreneur, and entrepreneurs do opportunities in tough spots."

Luukko said there was no truth to rumors that he had been forced out of his position with the Flyers and Comcast-Spectacor.

"Because of Ed Snider, I had an opportunity to own pieces of companies and I had an opportunity, financially, to make my family comfortable," he said of his decision to leave.

At the time, he said it was a chance to "cash out" and spend more time with his wife and three children.