# Paul Fenton (ice hockey)

Paul John Fenton Jr. (born December 22, 1959) is an American former ice hockey forward and current executive for the Florida Panthers. He has previously served as the general manager for the Minnesota Wild. Before joining the Wild, he had worked as assistant general manager with the Nashville Predators.

## Playing career

Fenton played amateur hockey with Vermont Academy, but started his National Hockey League career with the Hartford Whalers in 1985. He also played for the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and San Jose Sharks. He retired from the NHL after the 1992 season.
In 1983, while playing for the Peoria Prancers, Fenton won the Ken McKenzie Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding American-born rookie playing in the International Hockey League.

## Executive career

Before being named general manager and chief of the Minnesota Wild on May 21, 2018, Fenton was an assistant general manager with the NHL's Nashville Predators, while simultaneously serving as the general manager of the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals.
After just one season, Fenton was relieved of his duties as General Manager of the Minnesota Wild on July 30, 2019. The following year, he was hired by the Florida Panthers as a Senior Adviser to the General Manager. Fenton won a Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024.

## Personal life

Fenton is the son of Paul Fenton Sr. and Joann Mullin, his father was the Police Chief of the city of Springfield, Massachusetts for 14 years and worked for the police for over 40 years. Fenton has two sons, one of whom, P. J. Fenton, played hockey for the AHL's Rochester Americans and is currently a part of the Minnesota Wild's amateur scouting team. His other son Owen is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at National University of Singapore (NUS).

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1979–80 | Boston University | ECAC | 24 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980–81 | Boston University | ECAC | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981–82 | Boston University | ECAC | 28 | 20 | 13 | 33 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Peoria Prancers | IHL | 82 | 60 | 51 | 111 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Colorado Flames | CHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1983–84 | Binghamton Whalers | AHL | 78 | 41 | 24 | 65 | 67 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–85 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 33 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–85 | Binghamton Whalers | AHL | 45 | 26 | 21 | 47 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | Binghamton Whalers | AHL | 75 | 53 | 35 | 88 | 87 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1986–87 | New York Rangers | NHL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–87 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 70 | 37 | 38 | 75 | 45 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 6 |
| 1987–88 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 71 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 46 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 1987–88 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 5 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 21 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 59 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 80 | 32 | 18 | 50 | 40 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 23 |
| 1990–91 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 17 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 30 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 31 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1991–92 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 60 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 273 | 168 | 123 | 291 | 226 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 8 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 411 | 100 | 83 | 183 | 198 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 27 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1985 | United States | WC | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| 1989 | United States | WC | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 19 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 22 |