Here’s the question I have: Why couldn’t this have been done one or two months ago?

You got me. I wonder if having Fehr as the Executive Director would have helped the NHLPA fight the Kovalchuk contract rejection any better. Looks like the Devils need to win a Cup before the CBA expires otherwise we might not have Marty with us anymore by the time it’s over.

I think naming Donald Fehr to that post indicates the players are getting ready for a fight — Donald Fehr doesn’t back down from anyone, and he loves himself some brinksmanship. Under his leadership, the MLB players went on strike in 1994 (cancelling one-third of the season and the entire playoffs/World Series). That situation continued into spring training, when the owners locked out the players (anyone remember a spring training of replacement players and picket-line crossers?)…. with the whole mess finally being settled at the end of March 1995, and close to a month of the 1995 season being wiped out as well.

The players were also preparing to go on strike when that CBA (the 1995 one) expired. The only reason an 11th-hour agreement was reached between the union and MLB is because it was close enough to 9/11 that each side figured the media and public relations fallout from a work stoppage would destroy the game, especially after the damage the 1994-1995 strike inflicted.

Also to consider: Fehr led the MLBPA charge against drug testing of any sort until Congress got involved and threatened to do it themselves. Even then, he sat before that Congressional committee and denied having anything to do with the drug problem, or that his incredibly strong anti-testing stance was the same as approving of steroids.

Also to consider: the NHLPA got whacked in 2004. If that labor negotiation had been a boxing prize fight, they’d have stopped it early and dragged the PA’s carcass out of the ring. If it had been a street fight, they’d have held a funeral for the PA. I’d bet the union wants revenge in this round…. and if they’re going to get destroyed like they did half a dozen years ago, they’ll try and inflict as much collateral damage as they can on the owners. There are more options out there for the players this time around, most especially the KHL (and the other elite Euro leagues which would love to have their native sons back).

I wonder if having Fehr as the Executive Director would have helped the NHLPA fight the Kovalchuk contract rejection any better

If Fehr had been in place before the summer began, maybe. Then again, considering the chaos that is the Players’ Association, probably not. A strong union united behind a singular, cohesive voice probably could have put up a better fight, not in the least because they’d be able to settle on a world-class lawyer to fight for them. I’ve seen reports (can’t recall where, or I’d link) that the PA had pretty much a nobody as far as a lawyer went, and the League went with Bob Batterman (who has one heck of a reputation).

If I’m Gary Bettman, I can think of very few people I’d prefer Donald Fehr to. Maybe someone with political connections that would get strings pulled by federal governments, but that’s about it.