HockeyNHLPA unrest and Eastern Conference predictions

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What’s clear is that canning him at 3 a.m. – as staunch union supporter Chris Chelios repeatedly asked everyone to sleep on it – made Kelly a sympathetic figure. (By the way, credit to Chelios and Shawn Horcoff for facing the media when both their teams voted against firing Kelly.) Initially, several players who disagreed with the process said they still felt the reasons for firing him were sound. Now, that rationale is under attack.

The anti-Kelly forces say an office review indicated poor leadership. The pro-Kelly people call that investigation "a sham." One side says Kelly should never have been hired in the first place; a business guy should run the PA. The other side says revenues were up almost 30 per cent last season. There’s an accusation Kelly looked at confidential documents. Meanwhile, his defenders say he asked for, and received, permission.

It’s the biggest mess since, well, since the same organization fired Ted Saskin.

What's the fix?

If you’re counting, that’s three fired execs in four years. If the PA was a sports team, it would be the Raiders. That was a positive comparison in 1980.

Problem is: I’m not sure how to fix it. Kelly came with impeccable credentials. There was a lengthy head-hunting/interview process, which is what you’d want. There were plenty of checks and balances to make sure he didn’t commit Saskin-style abuses. And it still didn’t work.

So, here we are, approaching another CBA negotiation. The owners are going to try and eliminate guaranteed contracts and the PA is in turmoil. On the eve of the season, the players have to deal with this?

If you fire everyone from interim executive director Ian Penny to ombudsman Buzz Hargrove to the office janitors – as some have suggested – where do you go? There is little stomach for an iron fisted-dictator like Bob Goodenow. (He made them a fortune, but the approach is considered outdated.) An ex-player? Well, Stu Grimson and Eric Lindros stepped down amidst complaints they interfered too much. Seriously, how many ex-players have left the NHLPA in the past few years? There’s Mike Gartner, Steve Larmer, Pat Flatley, Glenn Healy, etc.

Right now, there is no consensus on what this organization is supposed to be and what type of person should lead it. Expect a lot of anger, but few solutions.

OK, here’s your team-by-team preview of the Eastern Conference.

CONTINUED: Page 2: Pens, Caps are class | Page 3: Canadian wild cards | Page 4: Treading water

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