Jerseys and Hockey Love

NHLPA: The More Things Change, The More They Get Sued

Some of the dissenting members of the NHLPA have filed a lawsuit to have Ted Saskin removed as head of the Union. From the Toronto Star:

In a 21-page statement of claim filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Detroit Red Wings defenceman Chris Chelios, Edmonton Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson and recently retired Los Angeles Kings forward Trent Klatt allege that Saskin and others conspired to illegally dismiss former union chief Bob Goodenow and inappropriately paid him $8 million (U.S.) in severance.

Chelios, Roloson and Klatt also allege that Saskin was illegally hired as executive director of the union in July 2005 and that since then, he has illegally used union funds to battle his adversaries within the union.

Those are some huge allegations (even bigger considering the past of the NHLPA). Even if only a little of it is true, there could be problems for Ted. The thing I don’t get is why this is filed in US court. Isn’t the Player’s Association a Canadian Union? Will this get the boot to Canadian courts, seeing as how the NHLPA mailing address is in Canada.

More striking to be, is how the PA never learns. Who among us has never heard of Alan Eagleson? The former head of the PA got off relatively easy for the way he damaged the lives of players he was charged with helping. Go find the book “Game Misconduct: Alan Eagleson and the Corruption of Hockey” by Russ Conway. That will link you to Amazon.com, but buy it wherever you can. I am not sponsored by anyone. That book should be required reading for anyone who is interested in hockey beyond the scoresheet. It’s important, because it tells what has gone on right up until Bob Goodenow took Over the PA. Remember, the NHLPA had a corrupt leader until Goodenow, which means that Saskin is only the third guy to run the PA since it’s creation. And if you want to know what happened to the first? From the NHLPA website:

Coincident with the creation of the NHLPA was the players’ appointment of Alan Eagleson as the first Executive Director. Eagleson stayed on until the end of 1991, when the players replaced him with Robert (Bob) W. Goodenow. Eagleson went on to face criminal charges relating 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 of fraud, agreeing also to pay a fine of (CDN)$1,000,000. The following day in Toronto, Eagleson pleaded guilty to another three counts of fraud and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Under its current administration, the NHLPA has put in place strict guidelines that guarantee the highest degree of competence and integrity among employees and player agents.

Indeed. I think that says it all.

UPDATE: From the comments, Reality Check helps out:

About the NHLPA being U.S. based – it was in Toronto under Eagleson, but had
to be relocated to be susceptible to U.S. labour laws as well as Canadian
law.

James Gralian

6 responses to “NHLPA: The More Things Change, The More They Get Sued”

  1. No word of a lie TL, I’m 30 pages into “Game Misconduct” as I type this. It’s a great read and I can’t put down. I’ll let you know of any interesting details once finished.

    About the NHLPA being U.S. based – it was in Toronto under Eagleson, but had to be relocated to be susceptible to U.S. labour laws as well as Canadian law.

    Eagleson wore too many hats for too long. He colluded with owners and quite possibly himself at tomes to hold back players as well as former players salaries and pensions.

    It is so ironic that the Saskin case is coming to a head while I’m reading this.

  2. It’s a great read, with so much history there, it’s hard to think the players followed the same slippery slope blindly.

    I updated the post to reflect the info about the PA location. Thanks for the help.

    Eagleson: yuck.

  3. Have you read it? I can part with my copy when I’m done with it, if anyone would like it.

    It’s funny how it fell into my hands yesterday. A neighbours mother cleared out her library of sorts – about 700 books in all. My inlaws next door got about 50 hardcovers of the “romance” variety. I had asked if they had any sports books and he brought over Marvin Miller’s “Whole New Ballgame”, also about labour relations and free agengy. Late last week he said he’d found me another, though the title escaped. He said it may be called “Gross” or “Game Misconduct”, or something of the sort. I told him both titles were books actually – quite a win – win thing here.

    It was the Spinner Spencer book I had on the brain when we last spoke. I hope he keeps the books coming!

  4. Oh, yeah, I read it a few years ago. I was in Boston at the time, where Conway is from. It gave me a nice perspective of how much Eagleson is hated in the hockey heart. I am stunned he wasn’t stoned by Canadians.

    As per our conversation the other night, one of the few hockey stories I’m versed in.

  5. Eagle had too many politician friends to ever get the proper stoning he deserved. When I read these types of books and witness what happened with the previous Canadian government in power, it tends to forge a strong opinion on the forces that control our lives.

    I have great faith in corruption. Wherever there is power and entitlement, corruption will unboudtably rule the day.

    There’s a stench rising from the bottom of the Saskin slip into power that seemingly cannot be smoothed over. It is curious to note that the players pursuing him, have been around the league for some time. It was definately time for Goodenow to move on, but when his successor is transplanted within days, something has certainly gone afoul.