TheNational Hockey League Players' Association(NHLPA,French:Association des joueurs de la Ligue nationale de hockey (AJLNH)) is thelabour unionfor the group of professionalhockey playerswho are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in theNational Hockey League(NHL) located in the United States and Canada. The association represents its membership in all matters dealing with their working conditions and contractual rights as well as serving as their exclusivecollective bargainingagent.[3]
National Hockey League Players' Association | |
| French:Association des joueurs de la Ligue nationale de hockey | |
 Logo from 2014 to present | |
| Founded | June 1967 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 10Bay Street,Suite 1200 Toronto,Ontario, Canada M5J 2R8[1] |
| Location |
|
Members | 725 (2012–13)[2] |
Executive Director | Marty Walsh |
Main organ | Executive Board |
| Website | Official website |
History
editFirst organizing efforts (1957–1959)
editThe first NHLPA was formed in 1957, led byTed Lindsayof theDetroit Red WingsandDoug Harveyof theMontreal Canadiens,after the league had refused to release pension plan financial information. The owners sabotaged the certification of the union by, in part, trading players involved with the association or sending them to the minor leagues.[4]After an out-of-court settlement over several players' issues, the players disbanded the organization. Lindsay's struggle and the NHL'sunion bustingefforts are dramatized in the movieNet Worth.
Alan Eagleson era (1967–1991)
editThe association formed in June 1967, when representatives of the sixNHL teamsmet and electedBob Pulfordtheir first president and appointedAlan Eaglesonas its executive director.
To prevent the new NHLPA from suffering the fate of its predecessor, Pulford met with the owners of the NHL teams and demanded they recognize the new union or the union would seek official recognition from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).
Additionally, the players sought guarantees where no member of the new union would be punished for being a member. The owners acceded.
In return, the NHLPA agreed it should represent at least two-thirds of the active players in the NHL and that the players would refrain from striking for the duration of the agreement, so long as the owners did not contravene any terms or conditions.
Bob Goodenow era (1992–2005)
editEagleson stayed on until the end of 1991, when the players replaced him withBob Goodenow.Eagleson went on to facecriminal chargesrelating to his conduct during the time he worked at the NHLPA, and ultimately, on January 6, 1998, pleaded guilty in a Boston court to three counts offraud,agreeing also to pay a fine of CA$1,000,000. The following day inToronto,Eagleson pleaded guilty to another three counts of fraud and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Bob Goodenow would seek to restore respect and honour to the association during his successful 13 years of service to the players as executive director. He led all NHLPA members through the strike of 1992, which most notably gave players the rights to themarketingof their own images. In 1994–95, he was at the helm as the players endureda lockout,ensuring that a fair deal was reached. A decade later, in 2004–05, the ownerslocked out the players again,becoming the first professional sports league to cancel an entire season. Goodenow would depart following the lockout, notifying the players of his resignation in July 2005.
Ted Saskin era (2005–2007)
editAs Goodenow stepped down, the members of the association turned to long-time NHLPA Senior DirectorTed Saskinas his successor, drawing on his experience within the association.
The NHLPA Executive Board terminated the employment of Saskin as executive director and general counsel on May 10, 2007, following alleged acts ofmisconduct.Toronto employment lawyer Chris Paliare concluded Saskin and executive Ken Kim, beginning in September 2005 through January 2007, covertly accessed player email accounts.
Paul Kelly era (2007–2009)
editOn June 28, 2007, the NHLPA's executive board selectedMichael Cammalleri(Calgary Flames),Chris Chelios(retired),Shawn Horcoff(Edmonton Oilers),Eric Lindros(retired) andRobyn Regehr(retired) to form a search committee for a new executive director. With the assistance of Reilly Partners, an executive search firm fromChicago,the search committee would review the resumes of hundreds of candidates.
The committee would ultimately recommend thatPaul V. Kelly,a founding partner of Kelly, Libby and Hoopes law firm inBoston,become the fourth executive director since the NHLPA's inception in 1967. Through a secret ballot system, the Player Representatives voted in favour of the committee's recommendation, and Kelly would be introduced at a media conference on October 24, 2007.
On December 7, 2007, the NHLPA and theDavid Suzuki Foundationdecided to create a pact, led byBoston BruinsdefencemanAndrew Ference,which had over 500 NHL players signed up to donate $290 annually to purchase carbon credits in order to offset their regular season travel.
On August 31, 2009, Paul Kelly was fired from the NHLPA.[5]
On October 30, 2009, interim Executive Director Ian Penny resigned.[6]
Donald Fehr era (2010–2023)
edit
Following Ian Penny's resignation, board members, such asSteve Larmer,also resign.[7]In late August 2010, it was widely speculated that formerMajor League Baseball Players AssociationExecutive DirectorDonald Fehrwould be appointed to this position. However, a day after the speculation reached a climax on August 26, both NHLPA interim director Mike Ouellet and deputy commissioner and chief legal officer of the NHL Bill Daly disputed the claims that it is all hearsay, and nothing is concrete between the NHLPA and Donald Fehr. However, Fehr would be formally named as executive director later in 2010.[8]
On January 6, 2012, the NHLPA rejected a proposal for realignment in the league for beginning in the 2012–13 season, which impacted CBA discussions.[9]
On September 15, 2012, with no agreement being reached on a new CBA, the ownerslocked outthe players, thus threatening the start of the 2012–13 NHL season. Three months later, on December 14, the NHL filed a class action suit with the U.S. District Court in New York seeking to establish the lockout was legal. They also filed an unfair labor practice charge with the U.S.National Labor Relations Board,stating the union had been negotiating in bad faith and their threat to disclaim interest is a negotiating ploy which violates the collective bargaining process.[10]On December 21, a person told theAssociated Pressa vote was cast to give the NHLPA executive board a chance to file adisclaimer of interest,with the vote in favor 706–22. The board had until January 2, 2013, to file the disclaimer, in which then the union would have dissolved and became a trade organization, which would have allowed players to file antitrust lawsuits against the NHL.[11]
On January 6, the NHLPA reached a tentative agreement with the NHL to end the lockout. The NHLPA then approved a league proposal for realignment in the league beginning in the 2013–14 season.[12]
In 2023, it was announced Fehr would be replaced as Executive Director by former United States Secretary of LaborMarty Walsh.[13]
Organization
editWhile the management of daily operations is the responsibility of the NHLPA Executive Director, the ultimate control over all NHLPA activities resides with the players, who each year elect representatives in order to form an executive board. Each of the 32 teams has one representative on the board.
Executive Directors
edit- Alan Eagleson,1967–91
- Vacant, 1991–92
- Bob Goodenow,1992–2005
- Ted Saskin,2005–07
- Paul Kelly,2007 – August 31, 2009
- Ian Penny(interim),August 31, 2009 – October 30, 2009
- Mike Ouellet(interim),October 30, 2009 – December 18, 2010
- Donald Fehr,December 18, 2010 – February 16, 2023
- Marty Walsh,March 13, 2023 – present[14][15]
Presidents
edit- Ted Lindsay(1957–1958)
- Bob Pulford(1967–1972)
- Ken Dryden(1972–1974)
- Pit Martin(1974–1975)
- Bobby Clarke(1975–1979)
- Phil Esposito(1979 – February 10, 1981)
- Tony Esposito(February 10, 1981 – October 24, 1984)
- Bryan Trottier(October 24, 1984 – November 9, 1992)
- Doug Wilson(November 9, 1992 – September 13, 1993)
- Mike Gartner(September 13, 1993 – 1998)
- Trevor Linden(1998–2006)[citation needed]
Executive Board members
editThe following is the list of NHLPA Executive Board members from each team for the2024–25 NHL season.[16]
Ted Lindsay Award
editSee also
edit
Related
editSimilar organizations
editReferences
edit- ^"Contact Us - NHLPA".Retrieved2024-05-31.
- ^Mirtle, James."NHLPA unveils 31-player negotiating committee".The Globe and Mail.
- ^"Inside NHLPA".NHLPA.com.Archived fromthe originalon 2014-08-29.Retrieved2014-07-18.
- ^Ross, J. Andrew,Trust and Antitrust: The Failure of the First National Hockey League Players' Association, 1957–1958(The Journal of) Business and Economic History On-line, Vol.8, 2010
- ^"Kelly ousted as head of NHLPA".ESPN.2009-08-31.
- ^"Ian Penny Resigns From NHLPA".FAN590.com.2009-10-30.
- ^Wharnsby, Tim (October 31, 2009). [The Fallacy of Hip-Hop "Culture" in Sports "Larmer quits NHLPA board, slams Chelios" ].CBC.ca.CBC/Radio-Canada.RetrievedJune 4,2024.
{{cite web}}:Check|url=value (help) - ^Harrison, Doug (August 25, 2010)."NHLPA hires Fehr as executive director: report".CBC.ca.CBC/Radio-Canada.RetrievedJune 4,2024.
- ^"NHLPA's statement on delayed realignment".ESPN.com.ESPN Enterprises Inc. January 6, 2012.RetrievedJune 4,2024.
- ^"NHLPA explores decertification; NHL files suit".go.com.14 December 2012.Retrieved3 April2018.
- ^Podell, Ira (2012-12-21)."AP source: NHL players closer to dissolving union".Yahoo! Sports.Retrieved2012-12-21.
- ^"2013 collective bargaining agreeement [sic]"(PDF).NHL.com.National Hockey League.Retrieved29 November2017.
- ^"NHLPA Executive Board appoints Martin J. Walsh as Executive Director".
- ^"Sources: Walsh, U.S. Sec. of Labor, joins NHLPA".ESPN.com.2023-02-07.Retrieved2023-02-10.
- ^"Marty Walsh formally appointed Executive Director of NHLPA".www.cbsnews.com.CBS News Boston. 16 February 2023.Retrieved28 February2023.
- ^"Executive Board, NHLPA.com".Retrieved2 November2024.
