The NHL Coaches Association (NHLCA) was "officially
formed" Saturday with the "goal of giving the coaches a
unified front and a voice when it comes to helping market
the game and look out for issues that affect the coaches,"
according to Chris Stevenson of SLAM! SPORTS. The NHLCA
will be "raising money to fund a pension plan and medical
and dental benefits through a speakers' bureau, websites and
other marketing opportunities." Red Wings coach and NHLCA
President Scotty Bowman: "We're not going to be getting into
individual contracts or collective bargaining. ... We can
market the coaches and the league can market the coaches."
The NHLCA will look at issues like being miked during games.
Bowman: "We want to make sure if the coaches are miked,
there's a system in place that (what's being said) is being
monitored in the truck" (SLAM! SPORTS, 6/25). In Toronto,
Al Strachan reported that in "return for the use" of the NHL
name, the NHLCA "will give the league a share of the
revenues. In turn, the league will use that money to fund a
pension plan for the coaches" (TORONTO SUN, 6/24).
