NHL Players Association
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| National Hockey League Players Association | |
| Founded | June 1967 |
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| Country | Canada, United States |
| Key people | Ted Saskin, executive director |
| Office location | Toronto, Ontario |
| Website | www.nhlpa.com |
The National Hockey League Players Association or NHLPA is a labour union that represents the interests of the hockey players in the National Hockey League of North America.
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[edit] History
The association formed in June 1967, when representatives of the six NHL teams met and elected Bob Pulford their first president and appointed Alan Eagleson as its executive director.
An earlier NHLPA had been formed in 1957 by hockey players Ted Lindsay of the Detroit Red Wings and Doug Harvey of the Montreal Canadiens after the league had refused to release financial information. The owners broke the union by trading players involved with the organization or sending them to the minor leagues.
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 Canadian Labour Relations Board. Additionally, the players sought guarantees that no member of the new union would be punished for being a member.
In 1992, Eagleson resigned and was replaced by Robert W. Goodenow. Subsequently, Eagleson was indicted for fraud, racketeering, and embezzlement, ultimately serving six months in prison.
Following a lockout which shortened the 1994-95 NHL season by 36 games, the NHLPA in 1995 signed a collective bargaining agreement. This agreement was originally to last for six seasons with re-negotiation possible in 1998, but was eventually extended to last until September 15, 2004.
Another lockout cancelled the 2004-05 NHL season. It was resolved on July 14, 2005, when the NHLPA finally gave in to a salary cap.
[edit] Organization
The NHLPA's management is headed by the executive director Ted Saskin, who heads an executive board of players representing their individual teams. Managing this board are President Trevor Linden, Vice Presidents Bob Boughner, Daniel Alfredsson and Bill Guerin.
[edit] Notable Agents
- Don Meehan - founder of Newport Sports Management which represents over 100 NHL players, also the agent for Ron MacLean.[1]
- Pat Morris - partner of Newport Sports Management.
- Michael Barnett - Wayne Gretzky's agent, now General Manager of the Phoenix Coyotes.
- Brian Burke - current General Manager of the Anaheim Ducks, formerly GM of Hartford Whalers and Vancouver Canucks.
- Mark Gandler - Alexei Yashin's agent, best known for orchestrating Yashin's holdout from the Ottawa Senators during the 1999-2000 NHL season.
- Carl Lindros - father and agent of Eric Lindros.
- Robert W. Goodenow - Executive Director of NHLPA from 1992-2005
- Ted Saskin - current Executive Director of NHLPA (2005-present), former NHLPA Senior Director and deputy to Bob Goodenow from 1992-2005
- Alan Eagleson - Bobby Orr's agent, founder of the existing NHLPA, forced out due to fraud in 1992.
[edit] External links
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