PHPA 50TH ANNIVERSARY PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION Established 50 years ago, the ice insurance, workers’ com- Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) is now the and trade relocation expenses, per-diem,pensation housingprotection, allowances, travel playoff shares, licensing rights, thecertified American collective Hockey bargaining League (AHL)representative and ECHL, for representing players in rules, and other player pro- - grams.revenue Many sharing, terms development within the son situated across 57 teams agreements must also be con- throughoutover 1,800 playersNorth eachAmerica. sea gruent with the NHL-NHLPA - - opedGiven thatin the nearly minor 90% leaguesof cur CBAThrough given the the amount PHPA, of players player CELEBRATING beforerent NHL graduating players tofirst the devel NHL, movement between leagues. - along with the amount of play- On behalf of all past, cess to a number of non-collec- present, and future Members, and their families also have ac – AHL – ECHL (last season 353 resources. Perhaps the most playerser movement played between in both the NHL I sincerely want to thank all populartively bargained is the programsAssociation’s and those who served as Player Career Enhancement Program the AHL and ECHL) the PHPA’s which helps players prepare roleand AHL;in the 368 sport played has inquietly both Representatives and Executive for life after hockey. Since the become paramount across the Committee Members. Your program was implemented in Doug Messier (above) of the WHL’s Portland professional hockey landscape. Buckaroos was the first to envision a players’ Not surprisingly, they are often courage, vision, and unselfish either taken online courses association for minor league hockey players, referred to by hockey insiders dedication for a better tomor- through1997, nearly the program1,700 players to further have in collaboration with the late Curt Leichner, as one of the best kept secrets row were paramount to the - who are considered to be the “Founding in all of pro sports. ticipated in marquee programs Fathers” of the PHPA. Headquartered in Niagara PHPA’s success in advancing suchtheir aseducation the Fire andor haveEmergen par- Falls, Ontario in a building and protecting the rights of which they own, and with a - dedicated staff of nine full-time professional hockey players cy Services Training Institute over the past 50 years. and(FESTI) accreditation. which provides profes networkingRecently, theand PHPAmentorship launched support a formal to Director, Larry Landon, the sionalOther fire programs fighting certification include a anyAlumni former Network PHPA asMembers a means who to may provide lack primaryemployees function led by of theExecutive PHPA a large business network following their hockey career and who may need assis- and conditions of player em- —LARRY LANDON, PHPA free, confidential counseling tance in some form to launch their post is to negotiate various terms Executive Director toservice players branded and astheir the Redlinefamily hockey career. The program is run almost members whoProgram may need available assistance 24/7/365 deal- ployment through collective ing with any off-ice issues ranging from agreementsbargaining. Bothwith thethe AHLPHPA and which ECHL deter have- addiction and depression to relationship and andexclusively are eager by toformer help andPHPA support Members, members who separate and distinct collective bargaining ofsince the retiring,hockey family. have built▲ successful careers mine health care benefits, on-ice and off- parenting advice. THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE YEARS CONGRATULATES IN 1967, DOUG MESSIER and his Portland Buckaroos teammates formed a benevolence society of THE PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY players from around the Western Hockey League to secure proper health coverage for Canadian- born players living in the United States whose pregnant wives would otherwise have to go home PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION to give birth in Canada. Little did he know that this collective group would one day grow into the ON THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY second largest player union in terms of Membership in North American professional sports, and serve as the only minor league players association within a major league sport. NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks and the NHL Centennial Season logo is a trademark of the National Hockey League. © NHL 2017. All Rights Reserved. PHPA 50TH ANNIVERSARY PHPA 50TH ANNIVERSARY CONGRATULATIONS He would soon be elected to Echoing those comments is Brian Burke, well and that there’s a strong relationship teams they represent for a Professional Hockey - between players and ownership that can be one hour presentation on how Players’ Association as an Agent and as an NHL General Manager. inthe thePHPA NHL Executive with MontrealCommit “Thewho overPHPA’s the reputation years has dealtis excellent. with the They’re PHPA them. The annual Fall Enroll- ON YOUR andtee, laterand evenToronto, while continued playing consistent and relied upon. I think combined,- mentthe PHPA Tour, can which be of servicestarts toin to assist players at the AHL a good job on behalf of their players. Their the ECHL and AHL, and the PHPA have done a- mid-October typically extends TH viewed as a professional group that does really remarkable job of providing a very sta to early December until all ending hip injury while with ble level of hockey in which countless num team meetings are complete. level. After suffering a career- first line of attack is always a solution. Minor bers of NHL players have been developed.” 50 the Leafs, Landon worked for “You can’t beat the face-to- the PHPA on a part-time basis. offleague with players the PHPA need leading an advocate and protecting more themthan an Justintegral as the role AHL in helping and ECHL acclimate develop players the ANNIVERSARY anyone. My view is that players are far better next wave of NHL players, the PHPA plays- announcing his intentions Today’s professional hockey landscape come NHLPA Members. Bob Goodenow, who face interaction with players,” toThen retire, in 1991, a group upon of Leichner players than they would be otherwise.” to a unionized environment before they be whatsaid Landon. is going “It on, helps while us bring keep- FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT approached Landon about - ingour playersfingers upon to the speed pulse on allof and player development model is a much ingserved ground as Executive of sorts for Director the NHLPA. of the NHLPA aspects of the PHPA and their Director. Although he declined more stable environment now than it has- from 1992 - 2005, likens the PHPA as a train - initially,becoming Landonthe new agreed Executive to been in the past. All 31 NHL teams utilize an become Leichner’s successor withAHL anClub AHL as andtheir NHL primary Club. development af and“You from have one to CBA appreciate to the next.the interactionThe PHPA respective Collective Bargain- and was named Deputy Execu- filiate,The whileorigins all of27 ECHLsuch canteams be are pinpointed affiliated helpswith players establish as theythe culture move between of being leagues a pro- ing Agreement.” to a watershed moment when the AHL ab- fessional hockey player. They’re highly re- players,The PHPAand enlists will alsoone Playerheav sorbed the 6 remaining franchises from the spected because they represent players on ily rely on involvement from thetive PHPA Director had in been 1991 headquar and then- teredExecutive out Directorof Leichner’s in 1993. Port As- expansion and addition of markets such as theRepresentative PHPA and their from teammates. each team HOCKEY CANADA struggling IHL in 2001. The outcome of that- suggestso many that teams the over digital a broad world area. has Havingreally im an- Theto serve PHPA as aoften liaison boasts between the waukee can now be seen in a healthy 30- informed Membership is key, and I would Committee, relocatedland law the office, PHPA Landon, to his home upon- Chicago, Manitoba, Grand Rapids, and Mil from around the sport such as Claude Julien, During the most recent meetings this past USA Hockey_PHPA 50_September 2017.indd 1 9/22/17 3:02 PMapproval from the Executive be announced later this season. proved the dissemination of information.” fact that prominent executives whenIndeed, Doug the Messier PHPA hasapproached come a attorlong- teamSimilarly, league, the with consolidation a 31st team of scheduled the Central to majorityWith a of transient players areMembership typically in base their of early over - is now the Founder and Principal at MStyle neyway sinceCurt Leichner,its humble who beginnings was based in 1967, out Associationtown, where wasn’t it has remainedin good shape. ever since. On top of - twenties,1,600 players the PHPA at any has given embraced time, technologywhere the Ken Holland, Ted Nolan, Kevin Cheveldayoff June, Rob Striar, a former PHPA Member who of Portland, Oregon, to legally form the As- “When I took over in 1993, financially, the - and different means of communicating with careersand others in management. once served as PHPA Player Rep in marketing and branding for top sports, en- sociation. “There was no backlash from the Hockey League with the ECHL in 2014 solidi players. This includes a restricted access resentatives which helped prepare them for tertainment,Marketing, a globaland consumer strategy brands,firm specializing who also owners because we weren’t really challeng- that, I was like the skunk at the garden party fied the AA level of the sport. The ECHL add players only website (Alumni are granted ac- gather in Orlando, Florida for the Asso- at every NHL or AHL event I attended,” said- toed joinseven the teams league from next the season. CHL and now sit at cess as well), players mobile app including Each June, all 57 Player Representatives- spoke about the PHPA as a brand. “The players were interested in the group sors,Landon. attorneys, “It took andsome staff, time add to buildnew aplayer solid 27 member Clubs, with Portland, Maine set- - developed“The PHPA the PHPA’sto me 50thgoes Anniversaryfar beyond whatlogo, insuranceing them planon anything,” as well as recounts a pension Messier.