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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.
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 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.
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.
External links
Trade unions of Canada | National Hockey League | Trade unions of the United States | 1967 establishments
National Hockey League Players Association | Asociación de Jugadores de la NHL | National Hockey League Players Association | NHLPA | NHLPA | NHLPA
"NHL Players Association"