Five former NHL players sued the NHL and 22 of its teams
Tuesday in federal court in Philadelphia for alleged
racketeering. In the class-action suit, former Bruins Dave
Forbes, Rick Middleton, and Brad Park, former Ranger Ulf Nilsson
and former Jet Doug Small say they and more than 2,000 other
players were "cheated" out of international tournament earnings
from '76-91 by former NHLPA Exec Dir Alan Eagleson, and that
Eagleson and his associates "stole or wrongfully used union
funds." The suit also asserts that club profits increased while
players lost money, year after year, "in comparison to what their
earnings would have been had they been represented by an
aggressive and uncompromised union leader" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY
NEWS, 11/8) The TORONTO STAR reports former NHL President John
Ziegler and former NHL Chair Bill Wirtz are also named and the
players are seeking triple damages (Mary Ormsby, TORONTO STAR,
11/9).
REAX: Ziegler called the suit "absolutely ludicrous,"
adding, "We collectively bargained, bargained across the table
and players participated, as did the owners." NHL Dir of P.R.
Arthur Pincus said the NHL would have no comment until they
reviewed the suit (TORONTO STAR, 11/9).
