After an extensive national search, ECAC Hockey announced Tuesday the appointment of Doug Christiansen as the league’s new commissioner.
Advertising comes with Longtime ECAC Hockey Commissioner Steve Haguel has retired at the end of the month.
Christiansen is a seasoned hockey professional, who has served in a range of roles over the past two decades, including player, coach, general manager, administrator, advisor, and spokesperson. As an experienced captain, he will bring a wealth of experience, a growth mindset, and an extensive network to ECAC hockey.
“Doug has impressed the search committee with his energy and plans to build on the strengths of our league,” said Sarah Fraser, incoming ECAC Hockey Executive Committee Chair and Quinnipiac’s Deputy Director of Athletics/SWA, in a statement. “He is well connected to the sport of hockey and will be able to handle outside components as easily as he is with our coaches and administrators. His knowledge of ECAC Hockey and his previous involvement in the entire ecosystem of the sport will be a real benefit to our membership and student-athlete.”
The hire marks a return to ECAC Hockey for Christiansen who competed for four seasons on Union men’s hockey from 1998 to 2002. The Wisconsin native most recently served as deputy commissioner of the USHL overseeing operations and property and serving as the primary point of contact for USA Hockey and an NHL central scout and media organizations.
“I am honored to be selected by the members of ECAC hockey to be their next commissioner at this transformative time in college hockey,” said Christiansen. “ECAC Hockey is home to some of the most prestigious universities in the world, and our conference has the potential to lead the way to the next phase of college hockey. It is my intention to raise the profile of the ECAC Hockey brand in an era of name, image, likeness, and transfer portal. Prospective student-athletes have the opportunity to make a decision that will defines the next 40 years of their lives in a positive way. I want to help simplify and amplify that message in a way that coaches and administrators can use to attract and retain some of the best student-athletes.”
Player development has been a cornerstone of Christiansen’s career with innings that have continually placed him at the forefront of the ever-changing hockey scene. He is currently a member of the USA Hockey Youth Council, which oversees junior hockey in the United States, and has led a series of collaborative initiatives with the NHL focused on DEI, mental health, and player safety.
During his time with the USHL, Christiansen has performed at the NHL Leadership Summit and spoken to more than 18,000 players, coaches, counselors, and parents. As the new face of ECAC hockey, Christiansen is well-prepared to elevate the conference with targeted speaking engagements, creative social media campaigns, and strategic partnerships.
“As an avid ECAC hockey alumni, I’m excited to promote the benefits of competing in ECAC hockey, on and off the ice, and I’m confident we’ll have the resources and thought leadership to build on an already strong foundation,” Christiansen said. “I’m excited to generate new revenue to enhance the student-athlete experience as they work from In order to win the national championships in men’s and women’s ice hockey.
“I have seen firsthand how the league office can highlight the great work of coaches and players and I intend to bring that experience to ECAC hockey. I look forward to using my experience and network in partnership with presidents, coaches and athletic directors to shape the future of the ECAC brand of hockey and showcase our collective strengths.”
In addition to a previous stint in the USHL as Director of Player Development and Recruitment from 2014 to 2018, Christiansen spent four seasons (2018-22) as general manager and head coach in the ECHL, starting with the Manchester Monarchs (then the Los Angeles Kings) followed by three seasons with the Indy Corporation. Fuel (then affiliated with the Chicago Blackhawks).
Following his professional hockey career, Christiansen served as Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations for seven seasons in the UK Elite League, which included a league championship in 2012, two Coach of the Year honors, and an appointment as President. Coach of Great Britain’s IIHF World Championship Team. Perhaps most notably, Christiansen spent three seasons coaching the Belfast Giants and is looking forward to returning to Northern Ireland for the Belpot Championship and Friendship Series.
Christiansen holds an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Edinburgh and a BA from Union. His family’s ties to the league’s member institutions run deep as his brother, Jeff, was an Union hockey player (2010), his wife Megan was a Yale basketball player (2003) and his brother-in-law Brian was a Harvard basketball player (2006).
He currently resides in Carmel, Indiana, with his wife, Megan, and two children, and plans to move to the Northeast later this year.