Bernie Saunders to serve as Keynote Speaker at 2025 ECHL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

The ECHL, in conjunction with the Kalamazoo Wings, announced today that Bernie Saunders will be the Keynote Speaker for the 2025 ECHL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by BFL CANADA and Sutton Special Risk.
 
The event takes place at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 17, 2025 at the Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites, Arcadia Ballroom and will see Alex Burrows, Dave Gagnon, Jamie Hicks and Glen Thornborough officially enshrined as the 17th class of the ECHL Hall f Fame.

Saunders played four seasons at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo from 1975-79, recoerding 154 points (76-78a) in 140 games. He then went on to become the fifth Black hockey player in National Hockey League history following Willie O'Ree, Mike Marson, Bill Riley and Tony McKegney.
 
Saunders led Western Michigan in goals three times, earned All-CCHA Second Team honors in 1977-78 and was twice recognized as the team's MVP. He captained WMU his senior year and was inducted into the Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
 
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Saunders played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques during the 1979–80 and 1980–81 seasons, along with 181 games in the American Hockey League (Syracuse Firebirds and Nova Scotia Voyageurs) and with the Kalamazoo Wings in the International Hockey League.
 
The Kalamazoo legend played parts of three seasons with the  K-Wings. Saunders joined the K-Wings for three games after graduating from WMU in 1978-79 before the team’s ascent to the Turner Cup and then returned to the team in 1981-82. During that season, Saunders joined Brent Jarrett on the same line, en route to Jarrett’s IHL Most Valuable Player season with the two combining for 197 points.
 
Following his playing career, Saunders spent 17 years in the pharmaceutical industry with the Upjohn Company before moving on to other commercial positions within the industry. Saunders also became a Diversity Equity & Inclusion advocate and voice for the mistreatment of Black hockey players in the NHL and the media, writing about his own experiences in a 2021 autobiography, Shut Out: The Game That Did Not Love Me Black.
 
Saunders has three sons, is the brother of the late ESPN sportscaster, John Saunders, and is currently retired in Greenville, South Carolina.
 
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to the 2025 ECHL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
 
About the ECHL
 
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 29 teams in 22 states and one Canadian province for its 37th season in 2024-25. There have been 753 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including one who has made his NHL debut in the 2024-25 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 29 of the 32 NHL teams in 2024-25, marking the 27th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.
 
About BFL CANADA
 
BFL CANADA was founded by Barry F. Lorenzetti in 1987 and has been headquartered in Montreal since its beginning. The President, CEO and Founder was quickly joined by others who shared his vision. From then on, the company became what it is today thanks to the constant addition of professionals who are recognized as leaders in their respective industries.
 
From modest beginnings to great success, BFL CANADA is proud of its achievements and the mark it has left on the insurance industry.
 
Today, BFL CANADA caters to the needs of clients, both large and small, from all industry segments.
 
About Sutton Special Risk
 
As a Managing General Underwriter since 1978, Sutton Special Risk has always focused on delivering flexible and affordable insurance solutions for our clients. Our attention to service means we respond quickly and effectively.

To provide our clients with exceptional security and global reach, Sutton underwrites business on behalf of several ‘A’ rated carriers. Our carrier partners share our appetite for risk and our willingness to customize plans to suit our clients’ needs. Our partnerships allow us to offer industry-leading high sums insured and broad coverage, including special hazards.