A U.S. Court has "dismissed a lawsuit" filed against
the NHL by "several former players alleging their salaries
were illegally limited by the cozy relationship with the
owners enjoyed" by former NHLPA Exec Dir Alan Eagleson (See
THE DAILY, 9/14/98), according to Mike Ulmer of the NATIONAL
POST. Had it "been found liable, the league would have been
on the hook for millions of dollars in damages." The civil
suit was filed in Philadelphia by five former players on
behalf of "hundreds of former players." U.S. District
Judge Thomas O'Neill did "not deal with the veracity of the
players' complaints, only whether the suit was subject to
the four-year statute of limitations." The players are
considering an appeal of the ruling (NATIONAL POST, 9/14).
WHAT ABOUT BOB? In Toronto, Jim Hunt questions why
NHLPA Exec Dir Bob Goodenow hasn't spoken out "about NHLPA
members who refuse to honour their contracts." Hunt: "It is
bad for all of the players in the NHL when one of their
members does what [Senators C Alexei] Yashin has done. I'm
surprised Goodenow doesn't realize it" (TORONTO SUN, 9/14).
WORK IS NEVER DONE: CNN/SI's Fred Hickman reported that
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is "working with" Goodenow and
IIHF President Rene Fasel "to figure out some kind of way to
get the league's top players to the 2002 Olympics in Salt
Lake City." Hickman cited CNN/SI NHL insider Michael Farber
as saying that "serious issues" include the gold medal game
being scheduled on a Sunday, two days before the NHL season
is supposed to resume. The players "don't think that's
enough time." Hickman added that a decision will be made in
November ("Sports Tonight," CNN/SI, 9/13).
