Daniel Milstein (; ; born November 8, 1975) is an American entrepreneur of Jewish–Ukrainian origin, agent of many Russian NHL players. Milstein’s 2013 autobiography ''17 Cents and a Dream'' detailed his family’s emigration from Ukraine on the day the country affirmed its independence from the then-USSR. He is the Founder and CEO of Gold Star Financial Group, NHL agent with Gold Star Hockey. He is the founder and owner of Gold Star group, which includes Gold Star Financial Group and Gold Star Sports. Notable clients include

Pavel Datsyuk Pavel Valeryevich Datsyuk (, ; born 20 July 1978) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player, who played for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2001 to 2016. Nicknamed the "Magic Man", Datsyuk was named one ...

Nikita Kucherov Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Regarded as one of the best players in the world, Kucherov ...

and Ilya Mikheyev.

Early life and education

Daniel Milstein was born to a

Ukrainian-Jewish The history of the Jews in Ukraine dates back over a thousand years; Jewish communities have existed in the modern territory of Ukraine from the time of the Kievan Rus' (late 9th to mid-13th century). Important Jewish religious and cultural move ...

family in Kyiv, Ukraine, then part the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. He was 10 years old when the Chernobyl nuclear plant blew up 78 miles north of his home in Kyiv, Ukraine, forcing a mandatory evacuation in 1986 and eventually political refugee status. He then moved to United States. Milstein wrote ''17 Cents and a Dream,'' about his family’s emigration to the United States. He wrote about his family’s arrival and starting from nothing to building Gold Star Companies. Milstein has written three other books including ''Rule #1 Don’t Be #2'', released in 2017.

Career

Milstein graduated from

Cleary University Cleary University is a private university focused on business education with its main campus in Livingston County, Michigan. It also has an education center located in Detroit. Cleary University offers certificate, ABA, BBA, MS, and MBA progr ...

before founding Gold Star Financial Group in 2000. The company began as a mortgage provider based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Milstein didn’t engage in the subprime bubble and had significant growth during the 2008 mortgage crisis. They were on ''Inc''.’s 2009 list of 500 Fastest-Growing privately-held companies and ''Crain's Detroit Business NewsLetter'' named Milstein on their list of "40 Under 40 in Detroit”. Milstein was a friend and interpreter of

before becoming his agent and managed negotiations for Datsyuk’s retirement from the NHL. After that, Milstein became the agent for several other Russian

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

players. In December 2016, Milstein (as Gold Star Sports Management) stepped in during

Artemi Panarin Artemi Sergeyevich Panarin (; born 30 October 1991), nicknamed the "Breadman", or simply "Bread", is a Russian professional ice hockey winger and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously ...

’s contract negotiation with the

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...

. The Blackhawks and Panarin agreed to a two-year extension worth $12 million; Panarin was later traded to the

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...

Danis Zaripov Danis Zinnurovich Zaripov (, ; born 26 March 1981) is a Russian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Ak Bars Kazan and Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Zaripov was also a member of the Russia me ...

was represented by Milstein in negotiations with the NHL after being banned by the IIHF. Zaripov was declared eligible to play in September 2017. Milstein represents several other Russian players including Ivan Demidov, Nikita Zaitsev,

Nikita Zadorov Nikita Sergeyevich Zadorov (; born 16 April 1995) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, 16th overall, in the ...

, Alexey Marchenko, Andrei Mironov,

Vladislav Namestnikov Vladislav Yevgenievich Namestnikov (; born 22 November 1992) is a Russian professional ice hockey centre for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 27th overall by the Lightning in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, and has ...

, Ilya Mikheyev, Mikhail Sergachev, and Klim Kostin. His Hockey clientele also includes

Vezina Trophy The Vezina Trophy ( ) is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two List of NHL general managers, NHL general managers vote to dete ...

winner

Andrei Vasilevskiy Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 ...

of the

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...

and

Hart Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player to his team in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original t ...

winner and Tampa Bay teammate

both of whom signed eight-year contract extensions for $76 million each.

Bibliography

*''The ABC of Sales: Lessons from a Superstar'' (2011) GoldStar Publishing, MI. *''17 Cents and a Dream: My Incredible Journey from the USSR to Living the American Dream'' (2013) GoldStar Publishing, MI. * ''Street Smart Selling: How to Be a Sales Superstar'' (2014) GoldStar Publishing, MI. * ''Rule #1 Don’t be #2 (2007) GoldStar Publishing, MI.''

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Milstein, Daniel 1975 births Living people Businesspeople from Kyiv Cleary University alumni Soviet emigrants to the United States Ice hockey agents