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Jack McGregor
Jack Edwin McGregor (September 22, 1934 – January 6, 2026) was an American politician who served as Pennsylvania State Senator from Pittsburgh and the founder of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins. He later resided in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he served as counsel to Cohen and Wolf, P.C. as an advisor to companies looking to create business opportunities in the Bridgeport region. He also served as a consultant to other companies wishing to expand their market share in the area.
McGregor was born in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on September 22, 1934, to parents Leah and Russell McGregor. He studied at various universities and received his B.S. from Yale University in 1956, where he was a member of the Skull and Bones society. He received his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he was named class valedictorian and editor-in-chief of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review. He would later receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Quinnipiac University in 1995. After college, McGregor served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps. He was later allowed to practice law in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.
In the 1960s, McGregor practiced law in the Pittsburgh and Washington offices of the law firm, Reed Smith, LLP (formerly Reed, Smith, Shaw, and McClay). In 1965, McGregor became a founder the Pittsburgh Penguins, by helping bring the NHL back to Pittsburgh. In the early 1970s, he held appointive regulatory positions in the federal government, and then became general counsel of a major electric utility. He later served as general counsel and then as chief operating officer of a multinational oil company. Meanwhile, his older brother, James R. McGregor, trailed a similar military to law career path. After a three-year stint in the U.S. Army as a Russian interpreter, before serving as a lawyer, and finally, judge in Allegheny County.
In 1993, he married his second wife, Mary-Jane Foster. McGregor died on January 6, 2026, at the age of 91.
McGregor was a Republican who served in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1963 to 1970, representing the Allegheny County-based 44th District. In 1970, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania. In 2004, he was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation by President George W. Bush. Today, McGregor continues to support the GOP, by contributing funds to the Connecticut Republican Party. During the 2008 Presidential Election, McGregor supported the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin.
In the spring of 1965, McGregor travelled along the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Harrisburg with a law school classmate, Peter Block, who was an enthusiastic ice hockey fan. During the long car ride, McGregor stated that he felt that Pittsburgh had not reached its potential as a sports town. This led both men to examine ways on bring the NHL back to Pittsburgh after a 35-year absence.
McGregor's plan involved lobbying some of his campaign contributors who were avid sports fans, as well as community leaders. The senator formed a group of local investors for the Pittsburgh franchise that included H. J. Heinz Company CEO H. J. Heinz II, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney, and Mellon family heir Richard Mellon Scaife. The 1967 NHL Expansion depended on securing votes from the then-current NHL owners. To ensure Pittsburgh would be selected for expansion, McGregor enlisted the help of Rooney to petition votes from Jim Norris, owner of the Chicago Black Hawks, and Bruce Norris, owner of the Detroit Red Wings. The effort was a success and on February 8, 1966, the National Hockey League granted a franchise to Pittsburgh. The Penguins paid $2.5 million for its entry to the NHL and $750,000 more for start-up costs. The Civic Arena's capacity was boosted from 10,732 to 12,500 to meet the NHL requirements for expansion. The Pens also paid an indemnification bill to settle with the Detroit Red Wings that held a minor league team in Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Hornets. McGregor was named president and chief executive officer by the investor group, and he represented Pittsburgh on the NHL’s Board of Governors. McGregor and Block each owned 12.5 percent of the team.
The team was officially named February 10, 1967, after more than 26,000 entries from a newspaper contest were fielded. McGregor's wife, Carol, named them the "Penguins" since the team would play in the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, which had been dubbed "The Igloo" by the locals. Meanwhile, Jack McGregor obtained Andy Bathgate for the team's first pick in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft.
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Jack McGregor
Jack Edwin McGregor (September 22, 1934 – January 6, 2026) was an American politician who served as Pennsylvania State Senator from Pittsburgh and the founder of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins. He later resided in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he served as counsel to Cohen and Wolf, P.C. as an advisor to companies looking to create business opportunities in the Bridgeport region. He also served as a consultant to other companies wishing to expand their market share in the area.
McGregor was born in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on September 22, 1934, to parents Leah and Russell McGregor. He studied at various universities and received his B.S. from Yale University in 1956, where he was a member of the Skull and Bones society. He received his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he was named class valedictorian and editor-in-chief of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review. He would later receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Quinnipiac University in 1995. After college, McGregor served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps. He was later allowed to practice law in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.
In the 1960s, McGregor practiced law in the Pittsburgh and Washington offices of the law firm, Reed Smith, LLP (formerly Reed, Smith, Shaw, and McClay). In 1965, McGregor became a founder the Pittsburgh Penguins, by helping bring the NHL back to Pittsburgh. In the early 1970s, he held appointive regulatory positions in the federal government, and then became general counsel of a major electric utility. He later served as general counsel and then as chief operating officer of a multinational oil company. Meanwhile, his older brother, James R. McGregor, trailed a similar military to law career path. After a three-year stint in the U.S. Army as a Russian interpreter, before serving as a lawyer, and finally, judge in Allegheny County.
In 1993, he married his second wife, Mary-Jane Foster. McGregor died on January 6, 2026, at the age of 91.
McGregor was a Republican who served in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1963 to 1970, representing the Allegheny County-based 44th District. In 1970, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania. In 2004, he was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation by President George W. Bush. Today, McGregor continues to support the GOP, by contributing funds to the Connecticut Republican Party. During the 2008 Presidential Election, McGregor supported the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin.
In the spring of 1965, McGregor travelled along the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Harrisburg with a law school classmate, Peter Block, who was an enthusiastic ice hockey fan. During the long car ride, McGregor stated that he felt that Pittsburgh had not reached its potential as a sports town. This led both men to examine ways on bring the NHL back to Pittsburgh after a 35-year absence.
McGregor's plan involved lobbying some of his campaign contributors who were avid sports fans, as well as community leaders. The senator formed a group of local investors for the Pittsburgh franchise that included H. J. Heinz Company CEO H. J. Heinz II, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney, and Mellon family heir Richard Mellon Scaife. The 1967 NHL Expansion depended on securing votes from the then-current NHL owners. To ensure Pittsburgh would be selected for expansion, McGregor enlisted the help of Rooney to petition votes from Jim Norris, owner of the Chicago Black Hawks, and Bruce Norris, owner of the Detroit Red Wings. The effort was a success and on February 8, 1966, the National Hockey League granted a franchise to Pittsburgh. The Penguins paid $2.5 million for its entry to the NHL and $750,000 more for start-up costs. The Civic Arena's capacity was boosted from 10,732 to 12,500 to meet the NHL requirements for expansion. The Pens also paid an indemnification bill to settle with the Detroit Red Wings that held a minor league team in Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Hornets. McGregor was named president and chief executive officer by the investor group, and he represented Pittsburgh on the NHL’s Board of Governors. McGregor and Block each owned 12.5 percent of the team.
The team was officially named February 10, 1967, after more than 26,000 entries from a newspaper contest were fielded. McGregor's wife, Carol, named them the "Penguins" since the team would play in the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, which had been dubbed "The Igloo" by the locals. Meanwhile, Jack McGregor obtained Andy Bathgate for the team's first pick in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft.