Sports Professional Management
Tax-Savvy Negotiators
. US
$306M

Key Facts

Also known as: SPM Sports, Sports Professional Management Inc.
Founded: 1987
Headquarters: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA
Other offices: No separate office publicly listed; European coverage through Playmaker Agency 92 and partner relationships.
Agency type: Boutique hockey agency
Ownership: Independent private agency led by Lewis S. Gross.
Primary markets: NHL, AHL, NCAA, junior/college advisory, Sweden/Europe through Playmaker Agency 92.
Players (Total value: approx. $306M active NHL contract value; plus $30M in future extension value): 122 total clients; NHL clients: 38.

Key agents (names): Lewis S. Gross, Mark Toof, Michael Nylander, Antero Niittymäki, Jamie Bozzo, Peter Tesher; Lewis Gross and Mark Toof are listed by SPM as NHLPA Certified Agents.
Languages: English; Swedish/Finnish support through Michael Nylander, Antero Niittymäki, and Playmaker Agency 92.
Contact email: lgross@spmsports.com; jbozzo@spmsports.com; mark.toof@gmail.com
Phone / WhatsApp: Office: 201-568-8898; Lewis Gross: 917-446-2172; Mark Toof: 484-535-0889
Website: https://spmsports.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spmhockey/
X: https://x.com/SPMsports

About Sports Professional Management

Sports Professional Management was founded in 1987 by Lewis S. Gross, a practicing CPA with a master’s degree in taxation, after beginning with Denis Potvin as the firm’s first client. The agency’s origin story is unusually finance-driven: SPM says Gross helped Potvin with deferred compensation, contract restructuring, retirement funding, and debt-free purchases as he prepared for life after hockey.

That tax-and-retirement foundation still shapes SPM’s positioning today, with services that include contract negotiation, taxes and estate planning, investments, insurance, endorsements, family advising, and post-career planning. SPM describes itself as a small independent agency built around quality over quantity, and says it resisted consolidation during the 1990s agency-merger wave.

Its current NHL roster includes William Nylander, Jeremy Swayman, Shane Pinto, Rasmus Sandin, Ross Colton, Alex Iafallo, Brandon Saad, Brian Dumoulin, Torey Krug, Samuel Ersson, and others. SPM is especially strong in long-term NHL security deals, recent RFA negotiations, goalie contracts, and tax-conscious planning for U.S.-Canada player movement. The agency’s recent headline deals include Nylander’s eight-year, $92M Toronto extension, Swayman’s eight-year, $66M Boston deal, and Pinto’s four-year, $30M Ottawa extension. SPM also keeps a clear development lane through family advisory work, including NCAA eligibility and junior/college pathway guidance.

In Europe, the Playmaker Agency 92 relationship gives SPM added reach in Sweden and broader European placement. The agency’s differentiator is not roster size, but the combination of contract work, tax planning, financial preparation, and highly personal long-term service.

Client Roster

Top players / NHL players

Contract figures below use public PuckPedia records where available.

  • William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs) – F – Sweden – May 1, 1996 – NHL contract: 8 years, $92M total, $11.5M AAV, expires 2032.

  • Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) – G – USA – Nov. 24, 1998 – NHL contract: 8 years, $66M total, $8.25M AAV, expires 2032.

  • Shane Pinto (Ottawa Senators) – F – USA – Nov. 12, 2000 – NHL contract: 2 years, $7.5M total, $3.75M AAV, plus future extension: 4 years, $30M total, $7.5M AAV, starts 2026-27.

  • Torey Krug (St. Louis Blues) – D – USA – Apr. 12, 1991 – NHL contract: 7 years, $45.5M total, $6.5M AAV, expires 2027.

  • Rasmus Sandin (Washington Capitals) – D – Sweden – Mar. 7, 2000 – NHL contract: 5 years, $23M total, $4.6M AAV, expires 2029.

  • Ross Colton (Colorado Avalanche) – F – USA – Sept. 11, 1996 – NHL contract: 4 years, $16M total, $4M AAV, expires 2027.

  • Brian Dumoulin (Los Angeles Kings) – D – USA – Sept. 6, 1991 – NHL contract: 3 years, $12M total, $4M AAV, expires 2028.

  • Alex Iafallo (Winnipeg Jets) – F – USA – Dec. 21, 1993 – NHL contract: 3 years, $11M total, $3.67M AAV, expires 2028.

  • Brandon Saad (Vegas Golden Knights) – F – USA – Oct. 27, 1992 – NHL contract: 1 year, $2M total, $2M AAV, expires 2026.

  • Noel Acciari (Pittsburgh Penguins) – F – USA – Dec. 1, 1991 – NHL contract: 3 years, $6M total, $2M AAV, expires 2026.

  • Samuel Ersson (Philadelphia Flyers) – G – Sweden – Oct. 20, 1999 – NHL contract: 2 years, $2.9M total, $1.45M AAV, expires 2026.

  • Matthew Kessel (St. Louis Blues) – D – USA – June 23, 2000 – NHL contract: 2 years, $1.6M total, $800K AAV, expires 2026.

  • Libor Hájek (HC Dynamo Pardubice) – D – Czechia – Feb. 4, 1998 – European salary not public; current public agency listing shows 2026-27 HC Dynamo Pardubice.

  • Alex Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs organization) – F – Sweden – Mar. 2, 1998 – NHL/AHL contract details depend on current club assignment.

Prospects & young talents

  • Kasper Halttunen (San Jose Sharks system) – F – Finland – June 7, 2005 – NHL ELC: 3 years, $2.63M maximum value.

  • Anton Wahlberg (Buffalo Sabres system) – F – Sweden – July 4, 2005 – NHL ELC: 3 years, $2.5M maximum value.

  • Emil Andrae (Philadelphia Flyers system) – D – Sweden – Feb. 23, 2002 – NHL ELC: 3 years, $2.71M maximum value.

  • Kenny Connors (Los Angeles Kings system) – F – USA – Mar. 10, 2003 – NHL ELC: 2 years, $1.735M maximum value.

  • Noel Nordh (Utah Mammoth system) – F – Sweden – Apr. 25, 2005 – NHL ELC: 3 years, $2.505M maximum value.

  • Emil Pieniniemi (Pittsburgh Penguins system) – D – Finland – Sept. 18, 2005 – NHL ELC: 3 years, $2.42M maximum value.

Goalies

  • Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) – G – USA – Nov. 24, 1998 – NHL contract: 8 years, $66M total, $8.25M AAV, expires 2032.

  • Samuel Ersson (Philadelphia Flyers) – G – Sweden – Oct. 20, 1999 – NHL contract: 2 years, $2.9M total, $1.45M AAV, expires 2026.

Notable former clients

  • Denis Potvin – first SPM client; Hall of Fame defenseman and foundational financial-planning case for the firm.

  • Martin St. Louis – listed with last public playing season 2014-15; treated as retired/inactive in this profile.

  • Alexandre Giroux – listed with last public playing season 2021-22; treated as inactive/retired in this profile.

Highlights

  • Negotiation style: individualized, tax-aware, long-term security focused.

  • NHLPA/CBA expertise: RFA extensions, arbitration history, ELC transitions, UFA retention, and goalie contracts.

  • Network strengths: NHL front offices, NCAA/family advisory, U.S.-Canada tax planning, Swedish/European relationships.

  • Development pipeline: family advisory for midget, junior, college, and pro decisions, including NCAA-rule considerations.

  • Brand/commercial capability: endorsements, trading cards, equipment deals, personal appearances, and regional/national marketing.

Agency Snapshot

Origin story

  • Lewis Gross founded SPM in 1987 as a finance-first, boutique sports agency.

  • Denis Potvin was the first client, and the initial work centered on financial independence, deferred compensation, retirement funding, and debt-free planning.

  • SPM says it stayed independent during the 1990s agency consolidation period to preserve direct client service.

Milestones

  • 1987 – Sports Professional Management founded by Lewis S. Gross.

  • 1987-1989 – First client foothold built around Denis Potvin’s transition planning.

  • 1990s – SPM resisted sports-agency mergers and kept its independent model.

  • 2024 – William Nylander signed an eight-year, $92M Toronto extension.

  • 2024 – Jeremy Swayman signed an eight-year, $66M Boston contract after a high-profile RFA process.

  • 2025 – Shane Pinto signed a four-year, $30M Ottawa extension beginning in 2026-27.

  • 2025 – Alex Iafallo signed a three-year, $11M Winnipeg extension before the playoffs.

Network strengths

  • North America: NHL, AHL, NCAA, junior, family advisory, tax planning, and retirement planning.

  • Europe: Sweden and Finland through Playmaker Agency 92, Michael Nylander, and Antero Niittymäki.

  • Specialty lanes: long-term star contracts, RFA goalie negotiations, post-career planning, tax/estate planning, and marketing/endorsement work.

Support Team / Partners

  • Contract/cap specialist: Lewis S. Gross and Mark Toof.

  • Family advisory/recruiting: Mark Toof.

  • Player relations: Jamie Bozzo.

  • European player agent: Michael Nylander.

  • Finland/Playmaker 92 contact: Antero Niittymäki.

  • Social media: Peter Tesher.

  • Training partner: Matt Carey Hockey.

  • Strength/performance partner: Ben Prentiss Hockey.

  • European partner: Playmaker Agency 92.

  • Investment, insurance, tax, and estate partners: SPM says it has relationships with firms in the U.S. and Canada, but does not publicly list all names.

Notable Deals Led by Sports Professional Management

  • 2024 – William Nylander: Toronto Maple Leafs – UFA-preventing extension – 8 years – $92M total – $11.5M AAV – begins 2024-25.

  • 2024 – Jeremy Swayman: Boston Bruins – RFA goalie contract – 8 years – $66M total – $8.25M AAV – expires 2032.

  • 2025 – Shane Pinto: Ottawa Senators – extension – 4 years – $30M total – $7.5M AAV – begins 2026-27.

  • 2024 – Rasmus Sandin: Washington Capitals – RFA extension – 5 years – $23M total – $4.6M AAV.

  • 2023 – Ross Colton: Colorado Avalanche – RFA extension / arbitration-avoidance deal – 4 years – $16M total – $4M AAV.

  • 2025 – Brian Dumoulin: Los Angeles Kings – UFA signing – 3 years – $12M total – $4M AAV.

  • 2025 – Alex Iafallo: Winnipeg Jets – extension – 3 years – $11M total – $3.67M AAV.

  • 2025 – Brandon Saad: Vegas Golden Knights – UFA re-signing – 1 year – $2M total – $2M AAV.

  • 2023 – Samuel Ersson: Philadelphia Flyers – goalie extension – 2 years – $2.9M total – $1.45M AAV.

Track Record (Last 3 Seasons)

  • NHL contracts signed: 22 active NHL contracts under Lewis Gross/SPM, plus one future Shane Pinto extension listed separately.

  • Total value signed (USD): approx. $306.62M active NHL value; plus $30M future extension value.

  • Total AAV represented (USD): approx. $61.74M active NHL cap hit; plus $7.5M future AAV.

  • Extensions/renewals: Nylander, Swayman, Pinto, Sandin, Colton, Iafallo, Ersson, Kessel.

  • ELCs signed: Halttunen, Andrae, Wahlberg, Nordh, Pieniniemi, Connors.

  • RFA outcomes: Swayman long-term, Sandin long-term, Colton arbitration-avoidance, Pinto bridge plus future extension, Ersson short-term goalie extension.

  • Arbitration cases: SPM says it held the record for the largest NHL salary-arbitration award for over 10 years; Swayman’s 2023 arbitration preceded his 2024 long-term contract.

  • Europe transfers: not fully public; current listing includes European placements such as Libor Hájek with HC Dynamo Pardubice.

  • Aggregate client market value: approx. $306.62M active NHL contract value, excluding the separate future Pinto extension.

Compliance & Accreditation

  • NHLPA certification status: Lewis S. Gross and Mark Toof are listed by SPM as NHLPA Certified Agents.

  • National federation registrations: not publicly verified.

  • Professional liability insurance: not publicly stated.

  • Ethics/compliance notes: no verified public disciplinary issues found in the sources reviewed.

Testimonials

  • Jeremy Swayman said, “All I care about is being a Bruin,” after signing his eight-year deal.

  • William Nylander said Toronto “is home” after signing his eight-year extension.

  • Shane Pinto called Ottawa’s commitment “awesome” after signing his four-year extension.

  • Alex Iafallo said he “wanted to stay” in Winnipeg after signing his three-year extension.

Press, Awards & Recognition

  • 1987 – SPM founded by Lewis S. Gross with Denis Potvin as first client.

  • 2024 – William Nylander’s eight-year, $92M extension became the largest public active SPM contract by total value.

  • 2024 – Jeremy Swayman’s eight-year, $66M Bruins deal ended a high-profile RFA negotiation.

  • 2025 – Shane Pinto’s four-year, $30M Senators extension added a major young-core deal.

Sports Professional Management logo

Submission Successful

The form has been successfully submitted.

Cookie 🍪
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site.