Chris George
Class of 2019
Chris George brought Ontario hockey roots to North Alabama—and left Huntsville with winning teams and a lasting community legacy. A multi-sport athlete at Eastwood Collegiate Institute, he became a high-scoring letterman at Wilfrid Laurier University before turning pro in 1994 with the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks. After two seasons with the Columbus Cottonmouths, he arrived in Huntsville, skating for the Channel Cats (1997–2000), later the Tornado, and the Havoc. He authored two 100-point seasons in Huntsville, becoming one of the city’s most popular pros.
George’s greatest assist came off the ice. In 2005, he and his wife, Amy, founded the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at Huntsville Hospital after one of their twin daughters, Melissa, passed away 14 weeks early; her sister, Ann Catherine, spent 68 days in the NICU. The fund has equipped the NICU with critical technology and support through the annual “Melissa George Night” with the Huntsville Havoc—an event embraced by fans across North Alabama.
The community’s response grew year after year. By the 19th annual night, the event had raised more than $1 million in total, including a single-night record of $121,483—shattering the previous mark and reflecting the way hockey and Huntsville rally around families in crisis.
On the ice, George was a playmaker; in Huntsville, he became a connector—linking fans, teammates, and neighbors to a cause that changes lives. The stats from his professional stops tell one story; the NICU equipment, the grateful parents, and the healthier babies tell another. Together, they explain why Chris George’s name echoes in rinks and hospital halls alike: because he played for a city, and a city played for him.
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