Penny Willing To Resign From NHLPA Amid Growing Discontent

Penny Prepared To Resign From Union

NHLPA interim Exec Dir Ian Penny in a memo to the league's 30 player reps said he is "prepared to resign" from the union, according to Steve Simmons of the TORONTO SUN. The memo was sent to players as both an e-mail text and an attached document. Penny in the attached document said, "Due to the unacceptable work environment, I am prepared to resign from the NHLPA subject to reasonable conditions being met." However, that sentence in the e-mail text reads, "Due to this unacceptable work environment, I am prepared to work with the Board to determine whether my employment situation can be resolved on reasonable terms." Except for that one sentence, the two documents sent to players "are identical." A union spokesperson yesterday said, "Ian Penny is not resigning from the NHLPA" (TORONTO SUN, 10/27). ESPN.com's Scott Burnside reported Penny in the memo complained about the "poisonous" atmosphere around the NHLPA offices. The union last week voted to form a committee of veteran players, including AHL Chicago Wolves D Chris Chelios, to investigate the firing of former Exec Dir Paul Kelly, and Penny in the letter accused Chelios of "using union staffers to spy on other union officials." Penny said, "This completely inappropriate conduct has created a hostile, fractured and distrustful work environment." He also charges Chelios with "trying to undermine" his position with the union. Penny: "In a conversation several weeks ago, Chelios urged me to tear up my contract extension and then threatened me by claiming that I would not survive a review. This indicates that he has prejudged the matter and will not approach a review with the necessary balance and objectivity" (ESPN.com, 10/26). The CBC's Mike Milbury: "Yet another sign that they need a total housecleaning at the PA. This is juvenile now" ("HNIC," CBC, 10/24).

LOOKING FOR IMPROVEMENT: Kelly Friday in an e-mail said, "I applaud the players for taking this initial, but important step of forming an investigative committee of veteran and respected players. I welcome a complete review of what transpired at the NHLPA and the reasons behind it" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/25). Meanwhile, in Edmonton, Bruce Garrioch reported there is talk among NHL players that player agent Mike Liut "could be tabbed" as the NHLPA's next Exec Dir, though it is unclear if he "would be interested." Liut, a former NHLer who worked for the union until leaving to join Octagon Hockey in '98, is "regarded as a strong candidate because he would bring the experience the union needs" with the CBA expiring in September '11. Liut served as a Player VP for the NHLPA "when the players went on strike in April 1992," and later joined the union as Associate Counsel in '93. He was a member of the NHLPA's negotiating team in '95 and "helped write significant portions of that lockout-ending CBA, considered one of the best ever negotiated" (EDMONTON SUN, 10/25).

FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT: In Pittsburgh, Rob Rossi wrote "hockey fans are fortunate" that Penguins C Sidney Crosby and Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin are "new-age megastars -- willing to speak up for the good of the sport, even if that means going against the old way of players handling business." Crosby's vocal presence earlier this month on an NHLPA conference call "could go a long way to making sure there is a league for 2013-14," because the NHL "would not survive another lockout in two years" when its CBA expires. Crosby and Ovechkin "won't stand" for another lockout, and their "big-picture leadership is long overdue for a league that historically has lacked that quality from most of its top stars" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 10/25).