A request to speak with Donald Fehr, the executive director of the
NHLPA, was denied by the organization's media relations senior manager.
But the NHL again countered by asserting that the CBA precluded the NHL from changing the rules unilaterally without consent from the
NHLPA. (122) The court again agreed, noting that the NHL's voluntarily assumed duties did not include an obligation to alter the playing rules to make the game safer.
The
NHLPA said in a statement that players are "extraordinarily disappointed and adamantly disagree with the NHL's shortsighted decision."
In 2013, the
NHLPA negotiated a provision into the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that required the NHL to pay Tennessee's jock tax on behalf of all of the players.
In addition to Kraft Hockeyville, the newly expanded agreement makes Kraft an Official Sponsor of the NHL and
NHLPA in North America and an Official Partner of the NHL Winter Classic, NHL Stadium Series, NHL All-Star Game, NHL Heritage Classic, NHL Face-Off and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In 1967, the
NHLPA resurfaced as a viable organization under the leadership of Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson, who secured formal recognition of the union by the league.
Yesterday, the
NHLPA had its turn in court--submitting a court filing asking a judge to toss the NHL's suit.
"The union has threatened to pursue this course not because it is defunct or otherwise incapable of representing NHL players for purposes of collective bargaining, nor because NHL players are dissatisfied with the representation they have been provided by the
NHLPA," the NHL complaint read in part.
"The NHL's decision to cancel the Winter Classic is unnecessary and unfortunate, as was the owners' implementation of the lockout itself,"
NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said in a statement.
Pearson, or Ted Lindsay, Award was inaugurated by the National Hockey League Players' Association (
NHLPA) in 1971; its members vote for the most outstanding player in the league.
In addition to being the Official Bank of NHL,
NHLPA, NHL Alumni and the CWHL, Scotiabank has partnerships with four Canadian NHL teams, two professional arenas and two American Hockey League (AHL) teams, it said.
Former MLBPA Exec Director Donald Fehr to Accept
NHLPA Exec Dir.