The NHLPA board of player representatives held a conference call Monday night in which they discussed, but declined to vote on, a request to install a board of individuals to conduct a review of the union's practices, sources said. The NHLPA declined comment. As many as 60 NHL players were on the call, which was held in response to an email sent to players on Friday asking that a board be appointed to review the union's internal operations, sources said. The players discussed the request to vote on the matter, but elected not to vote on it, sources said. The email listed names of people who would be on the review board, to be chaired by Herb Pinder, a former NHL player agent. But Pinder in an email last night said, "Whatever NHL players may or may not be up to is private to them. No involvement by me." Asked if he authorized players to use his name to chair the committee, Pinder did not answer, but said, "The players appear to be discussing private matters, and that privacy is something to be respected, certainly by me." Two agents who reportedly have been raising questions about the NHLPA are Ritch Winter and Anton Thun. "I am not authorized by my clients to speak to any media about this," Winter said yesterday. Agent Kurt Overhardt also declined comment, saying in an email, "As the players said, this is a private matter." Thun also declined comment, but said, "I deny sending it," when asked about an email sent to NHL players which instigated Monday's conference call. The email was sent to players from an anonymous email address, sources said. One source said by declining to vote on a resolution to appoint a review board, the effort has been "shot down." But other sources were not sure that the matter has been resolved.
