Kelly out as head of NHLPA

Kelly departure a palace coup

Sometimes, the NHL Players' Association makes a change at the top because of outright malfeasance – the Alan Eagleson era, as a case in point.

Sometimes, it is about personal style and a fractious leadership style that rubbed too many people the wrong way – Bob Goodenow step to the front of the line.

Sometimes, it is about process and the failure to follow it properly – hello Ted Saskin.

But on Sunday night/Monday morning when the NHLPA's executive board dismissed Paul Kelly as executive director, it is hard to see the move as anything except a palace coup – a grab for power, fought between two factions within the organization that had been an odds since this past February, or where Eric Lindros resigned as ombudsman, reportedly because there weren't enough contentious issues to arbitrate.

In one corner of this fight, you'll find Lindros – who currently has no official standing in the organization – plus his replacement as “interim ombudsman”, Buzz Hargrove, along with Halifax labour lawyer Ron Pink, and lawyer Ian Penny, a holdover from the Goodenow era who'd received a lucrative multi-year contract extension from the NHLPA executive board during last June's meetings in Las Vegas.

In the other corner, there was Kelly, Glenn Healy, the director of player affairs and Patrick Flatley, assistant director of player affairs. With Kelly out and Flatley reportedly having resigned on the heels of the Kelly firing, it is hard to imagine Healy staying on beyond the day – or week.

And to what end are these changes coming now, with the 2009-10 season just around the corner and players muddling along just fine, thank you?

Is it because Kelly had dinner one too many times with commissioner Gary Bettman? Is it because Kelly tried to make a flawed document – the new collective bargaining agreement, negotiated at the cost of the 2004-05 NHL season – work as well as it could for the players....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/k ... le1270789/

"leewgrant" said
Is Buzz behind it, in order to get some full-time employment? They might not like his style. Friendly with the bosses (well, having to associate with Gary Bettman might be all that attractive) but he's bossy, something the prima donnas called hockey players might not like. But he does know how to negotiate a contract.

"PublicAnimalNo9" said
Is Buzz behind it, in order to get some full-time employment? They might not like his style. Friendly with the bosses (well, having to associate with Gary Bettman might be all that attractive) but he's bossy, something the prima donnas called hockey players might not like. But he does know how to negotiate a contract.

Alan Eagleson

Appointed first executive director in NHLPA history in 1967 and forced to resign in 1992. On Jan. 6, 1998, he pleaded guilty to three counts of mail fraud in Boston and was fined $700,000 (U.S.). That same year, he pleaded guilty to three more counts of fraud and embezzlement in Toronto and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Bob Goodenow

Appointed executive director in 1992. He led the players through the 2004-05 lockout before being asked to resign on July 28, 2005.

Ted Saskin

Appointed executive director on July 28, 2005. He was put on a paid leave of absence when it was learned he was inappropriately accessing the private e-mail accounts of players. On May 10, 2007, he was fired.

Paul Kelly

Appointed executive director on Oct. 24, 2007. He was the assistant district attorney in Boston in the case against Eagleson. He was fired yesterday.

Ian Penny

Named Kelly’s interim replacement yesterday. Penny was hired by Goodenow as an associate counsel in the summer of 2000. The former New York labour attorney rose to general counsel, was awarded a five-year extension two months ago and will run the show for now.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/k ... le1271346/