Goodenow Steps down

[Blue56]

He's gone

TORONTO (AP) - Bob Goodenow is stepping down as head of the NHL Players' Association, less than a week after the union and league approved a new labor deal to end a lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.

Goodenow had three years left on his contract. But many observers thought he was not thrilled by the labor pact, which included a salary cap.

"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," Goodenow said in a statement Thursday.

"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," he said.

Ted Saskin, the union's senior director of business affairs and licensing, will succeed Goodenow as executive director and general counsel.

NHL players overwhelmingly approved the labor contract last Thursday. Still, many of them were unhappy that a full season was lost and the union ended up accepting a salary cap.

"This decision followed discussions between Goodenow and members of the executive committee about the organization's future," the NHLPA said in a statement.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman vowed clubs would have "cost certainty" - a hard salary cap tied to league revenues - before the lockout began last September. Goodenow promised that he would never agree to either. But when the deal was signed, he was forced to accept both.

"I have always respected Bob's tenacity, passion and professionalism, and I wish him well in his future endeavors. We congratulate Ted and look forward to working with him," Bettman said in a statement Thursday.

Goodenow's departure caught Buffalo Sabres goalie Martin Biron by surprise.

"I'm a little shocked right now. I personally had a lot of faith in what Bob was going to be able to do and what he did. There was some criticism, but I didn't think that he deserved all that criticism," Biron said.

"I don't put any blame on him," he said. "Everybody was on the same page for the longest time. Why is it now that, `He's the one that led us down the wrong path?' No. He set up a strategy. It didn't work out the way we thought it would be. He took a lot of heat."

Goodenow led the union during a time when player salaries skyrocketed. NHLPA president Trevor Linden spoke warmly of Goodenow in the statement announcing his departure.

"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," said Linden, a 16-year veteran.

Philadelphia forward Sami Kapanen said he thought the union's decision to agree to a salary cap contributed to Goodenow's move.

"The players decided to accept the cap and get back on the ice, but I don't think that's what Bob was looking for," Kapanen said. "I know that not all the players are happy with the negotiations."

Kapanen said Goodenow tried to prepare the players for a holdout that could've been as long as a couple of years, but the players just weren't able to commit to a lengthy holdout.

"It was so easy before anything started out to say that it was going to take 18 months or a couple of years," Kapanen said. "But once you get into it and see how much you miss playing and how much the game is suffering, something needed to be done."

[renuszm]

I dont like Goodenow. But I hate Ted Saskin, so I lose here.

[I Are Baboon]

Now Bettman needs to follow suit...

[rockin500]

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

Now Bettman needs to follow suit...

exactly.

[Teddy Ballgame]

- From the owners' point of view (and Gary Bettman is paid to represent and give effect to the owners' point of view), there is certainly no reason for Bettman to be shoved out or eased out. He took the measure of Goodenow and the players union and stood firm and won every major concession that the owners wanted in what is perhaps the most one sided, pro-owner CBA in major pro sports in the past twenty years. In doing so, and thereby reversing the ridiculous notion that the NHL players should be compensated even moe than the players in the true top tier NA sports (i.e. footbal, basketball and baseball with their huge TV contracts), Bettman just might have saved hockey from itself and its union.

- Gary Betman is the Sitting Bull in this scenario while Goodenow was General Custer full of pith and vinegar who led his troops over a cliff and not only got them a much worse deal than in the mid 90s but got them a worse deal than the owners had offered seven months ago AND got them to sit out over 20% of their NHL career with no pay (i.e. the average NHL career is about 4.5 years and they just gave up one of them). It is only because the NHL senior player echelons are still dominated by nice guys from Canada that they obediently followed Goodenow over the cliff and then they politely refused to trash him months ago when it was obvious that his strategy was a total failure. The Americans dominating the NBA union would never have put up with this degree of rank incompetence and suffered in silence for so long nor should they.

- So Sitting Bull should stay and Custer should walk, IMO.

[Big R]

Originally Posted by I Are Baboon

Now Bettman needs to follow suit...

yep...

[00_Agent]

I don't really like Bettman but there is something to be said for the fact they owners got basically everything they wanted, which thankfully was much of what the game needed.

I wish Bud Selig had as much gumption.

00

[Dream machine]

Goodenow and Bettman should have both left.

[Teddy Ballgame]

00_Agent ... I don't really like Bettman but there is something to be said for the fact they owners got basically everything they wanted, which thankfully was much of what the game needed.

I wish Bud Selig had as much gumption.

00

- 00 - I, too, don't like Bettman because he comes across as a pint sized, big mouthed, smart ass, weasel wording lawyer with all the warmth and charm of a tax collector on steroids. But if I were one of the small market, warm climate hockey team owners drowning in red ink for the past several years and barely avoiding Chapter 11, I'd now be at least seriously considering naming my first born "Gary".