Robert (Bob) W. Goodenow
NHLPA Executive Director & General Counsel
Born: Oct. 29, 1952
Hometown: Dearborn, Mich.
Hometown: Dearborn, Mich.
Became the executive director of the NHL Players
Association in 1992, succeeding Alan Eagleson, who had the job
since 1967.
Prior to joining the NHLPA, Goodenow was an
attorney in Detroit, Mich. He practiced in the areas of general,
corporate and commercial law, labour law and athlete representation.
Goodenow represents the players as their chief negotiator in collective bargaining with the NHL. He is responsible for all aspects of the NHLPA's activities, such as salary arbitration, player grievances, licensing, international hockey and agent certification.
Goodenow played on the Junior Wings with Marty and Mark Howe and he captained the hockey team at Harvard University.
Graduated from Harvard in 1974 and from the University of Detroit
Law School in 1979.
Goodenow has been on both sides of labour disputes during his career. He worked in labour relations for the tech company Unisys Corp. Goodenow represented the company in negotiations with the union.
He gradually became more involved in pro hockey
through friends from his hockey days and eventually became an
agent. That led to a stint as deputy to Eagleson.
Like NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has done with the NHL,
Goodenow has "grown" the NHLPA's office into a professional organization.
When he took office, there were 2.5 employees -- Eagleson was the
part-timer on the payroll. Today there are about 50.
Conservative estimates suggest the NHLPA's revenues
have increased 25-fold since Goodenow took office.
Much of Goodenows' time is spent communicating
directly with the players. He's said to always be available to
take a player's phone call. He enjoys tremendous respect from
them.
Goodenow's stiffest test will be keeping the players together in the face of another possible work stoppage. In recent months several players, such as Brett Hull, have broken ranks and said the current system is flawed and players get paid too much money.
During Goodenow's 11-year tenure, player salaries
have increased dramatically; according to Bettman, wagess have
jumped 240 per cent since 1995.
Everything the NHL does comes across Goodenow's desk, and the
NHLPA has won the majority of arbitration cases.
Goodenow's first major action, the players'
strike on the eve of the 1992 Stanley Cup playoffs, established
his reputation as an energetic, militant advocate of players'
interests.
Under Goodenow's leadership the NHLPA has developed its own television show, launched a website and even has its own line of clothing.