Goodenow steps down from NHLPA post

[Madferret]

Goodenow steps down from NHLPA post
TSN.ca Staff

Bob Goodenow today advised the National Hockey League Players' Association that he would step down as its Executive Director and General Counsel. The decision followed discussions between Goodenow and members of the Executive Committee about the organization's future.

"With the conclusion of the negotiations and the ratification of the new agreement, the parties concur that this is an appropriate action for the future," said Goodenow. "I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve the Players over the past 15 years and to have had the support of a tremendous staff at the NHLPA. I wish the Players every success under the new CBA."

Today, the NHLPA named Ted Saskin, its Senior Director of Business Affairs and Licensing, to succeed Mr. Goodenow as Executive Director and General Counsel. "I have enjoyed working closely with Bob for the Players over the last 15 years. I know how dedicated Bob has been to the Players. I plan to continue to serve them by building on the strong base that Bob created at the NHLPA."

Trevor Linden, the President of the NHLPA, said "Every NHL Player has benefited enormously from Bob's leadership and dedication. He has been a tireless advocate for the Players and he dramatically improved the Players' situation in every respect. Bob built the NHLPA into a first class organization and we are all very grateful to him. Ted has worked closely with Bob every step of the way and has done an excellent job for the Players in our recently concluded CBA negotiations. We have every confidence that he will be able to lead our Association well in the years to come."

[bluemeanie]

As much 'good' as he has accomplished, his legacy will be 'not being able to get it up under pressure." The Goodenow that Stole Hockey.
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[Mel]

What can you say?

He oversaw the most prosperous decade for the players in NHL history. Unfortunately the league couldn't survive at that pace.

He should have been more aware of that. Stevie Wonder could see this coming. The damage is done now. He led his association down the wrong path and it cost them. Players feel burned by not only missing a precious year off their valuable careers... but giving back 24% of their salaries, finding their "worth" adjusted to the new landscape... yada yada yada.

Maybe Bob's a scapegoat, but I don't think anyone is surprised by this.

[a4l]

One down one to go. :thumb:

[Mel]

One down one to go. :thumb:

If you're suggesting that Bettman is or should step down or get fired, I seriously doubt he's going anywhere. He throttled Goodenow in astounding fashion. Not that is was that hard... All Bettman and the owners had to do was wait for Goodenow to hang himself.

I remember clearly back in December when Goodenow originally offered the 24% roll back. The public gave a collective "WOW!" People were calling Goodenow a genius for turning the tables against the league.

But by the time Bettman was done with his press conference and counter-offer, Goodenow was reduced to a stuttering, speechless angry man at the podium, looking like a complete fool with absolutely nothing to say. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Now the players, many of whom were taken aback by the 24% rollback offer, have conceded not only that salary give-back, but they have accepted a hard salary cap of less than 40 million... The very item that defined Goodenow's war-like stance in the months and years leading up to this work stoppage.

Gary Bettman is employed by the NHL owners. Do you honestly believe that he'll be ousted after what has transpired? With the possible exception of a few dissenting big money teams... he is viewed as a savior by many franchises who were faced with the reality of their businesses failing. Agents are just as much to blame for where the NHL was headed, so don't play the finger-pointing game. That's a smoke screen. This league needed to be reconstructed financially. Bob Goodenow was a road block to getting that done, plain and simple.

The players can take solace in the notable and well-deserved strides they made in free agency, and a few other areas. But Goodenow was never thinking that way. He was never (at least publically) looking for ways the players could benefit... as much as he was looking for ways to avoid the ownership's needs.

In retrospect, Bob Goodenow had one mission, one single tunnel-vision for the players... He was leading them in a crusade against something that was inevitable, and as their leader he should have recognized this in their best interest. That turned out to be his downfall.