Executive Director’s Report 2014 Annual Meeting of Player Representatives While the 2013-14 season was not without its share of challenges for the Association, I can look back and unequivocally state that it was a “results-driven” year. The Winter Olympics provided opportunity for a significant number of former PHPA Members, as well as an opportunity for nine (9) players from our current membership base. With a number of AHL affiliates (7) playing games in the facility of their NHL Parent Club, it provided an opportunity for NHL fans to watch the next generation of NHL players, while providing our Members with an unforgettable experience. For the first time in my 33 years with the Association, I was sued, by the former Owners of the Central Hockey League (CHL). In doing my job protecting players’ rights in the CHL, and with very important health issues involving a player’s wife and player’s child, the former Owners felt that Allen and Rapid City were looking to leave the CHL for the ECHL due to my efforts in protecting the Membership. While the lawsuit is still pending between the CHL’s former Owners and the ECHL, the case against me was dismissed. During the off season, the CHL was purchased by current CHL Owners, with Wichita’s Ownership owning both Wichita and Tulsa, while the Missouri Mavericks assumed ownership of the recently folded St. Charles Chill franchise. The Wichita Ownership group recently added yet another franchise, with their purchase of the Allen Americans. This situation will be reviewed as it could present some issues in the CHL for PHPA Members going forward. Great results were achieved in numerous areas: (*) A settlement was reached on the Global Grievance we filed against the CHL, where any / all outstanding issues not including Workers’ Compensation and medical (salary, travel, equipment, etc.), of which we were aware, were resolved. The settlement for $116,107.66 came on the eve of a scheduled National Labor Relations Board trial. All monies associated with this aspect of the settlement have been distributed to players party to this settlement. (*) As a continuance of the above settlement, we are currently negotiating resolution on any / all outstanding unpaid medical and workers’ compensation benefits (Total Temporary Disability – TTD payments) with the CHL as this was part of the above settlement. It is our intention to have this finalized within the next 30-45 days. Should we not achieve resolution, we shall take whatever legal avenues we need to in order to ensure proper resolution. (*) On the financial front, possibly the most influential impact strengthening our financial foundation was the U.S. dollar, which hit a high of $1.12 in a fiscal year where it began at par with the Canadian dollar. Taking advantage of the currency exchange, we generated an additional $115,000 in monetary resources. Any Canadian-based business, including costs associated with running our office, experienced better-than-budgeted results, given the additional spending power attributed to the strong U.S. dollar. (*) The PHPA’s overhauled Public, Alumni, Player, and Agent-friendly website is experiencing more hits by the day, with our website consultants constantly upgrading to meet the needs of all its stakeholders. (*) The PHPA worked diligently with Upper Deck who, in the coming weeks, is set to release an inaugural 100-card box set featuring some of the top AHL players. In addition, over 80 of the 100 players featured agreed to sign 250 autographs each for inclusion in the set, making this set a "must have" for hockey card collectors and fans of the AHL. Given Upper Deck's elite position within the trading card industry as well as their global distribution, this high-end set will enhance visibility of our Members while helping elevate the profile of the League. (*) A PHPA mobile app is currently in development, and will be released at the Association’s Annual Meeting, with full completion once we secure feedback from the Executive Committee and Player Representatives. (*) An initiative currently being put before various Canadian television networks is our NextGen – Hockey’s Highway television series where both Rochester’s Jamie Tardif and Hamilton’s Nathan Beaulieu were featured for the pilot episode. Should this endeavor prove successful, it will showcase our Members in front of millions of viewers. (*) The Association’s Career Enhancement Program finalized an agreement with FESTI (Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute), whereby PHPA Members can train to be firefighters first through an online component, then in an affordable state-of-the-art facility located adjacent to Pearson International Airport in Toronto. The training facility will see its first wave of PHPA Members on site beginning in mid June. (*) In addition, website revenues were better than budgeted by 63%, as were AHL dues (4.1%) and ECHL dues (6.8%), respectively. With April 30 representing the Association’s fiscal year end, we look to the year ahead to once again be prosperous for Association Members and their families. The 2013-14 season recap and thoughts on the season(s) ahead…… American Hockey League The 2012-13 season ended last June with the Calder Cup-winning Grand Rapids Griffins playing in front of sellout playoff crowds in excess of 10,834 per game. Again, the AHL put an exclamation mark on why it is considered the best development league in any sport. With over 88% of NHL players having played in the AHL, the 2013-14 season provided 133 AHL players with their first NHL game. A significant number of PHPA Members were recalled to the NHL and have made huge impacts, while being well on their way towards forging a great NHL career. Utica joined the AHL, serving as the Vancouver Canucks’ affiliate and did a terrific job in what was once a great hockey city where a number of former New Jersey Devils began their pro careers. Having had the opportunity to view the locker room, training room, and video room, it is apparent that the Canucks did whatever they had to do in order to create a tremendous developmental environment. A tough situation arose in Portland, Maine where the team was to be temporarily displaced while renovations were done at their home rink, the Cumberland County Civic Center. Unfortunately, negotiations towards a new lease took a turn for the worse, and the Pirates were forced to spend the entire season in Lewiston, Maine with their last game played at the 400-seat Ice Center in Saco. Fortunately, a new lease was finalized in February, which will see the Pirates return to a renovated Cumberland County Civic Center for the 2014-15 season. AHL teams once again looked to capitalize on the latest successful trends by playing games outdoors, with Rochester hosting Lake Erie at Frontier Field (December 13, 2013) and Grand Rapids hosting Toronto at Comerica Park in Detroit (December 30, 2013). By far, the most interesting development is the proposed westward shift of NHL Clubs / “AAA” affiliates as they seek to get their prospects closer to the NHL city. While neither the PHPA nor the NHLPA are involved in dialogue at this stage, as of this writing, and by no means is this 100% certain, my belief is that should such a Western shift materialize, it could take on this look: (*) Anaheim wishes to leave Norfolk and put their players in San Diego. (*) Los Angeles has focused on the current ECHL market of Ontario, CA as the future home for their prospects. (*) San Jose is looking to depart Worcester and is pondering various markets including, but not limited to, Sacramento, CA and Fresno, CA. (*) The recent purchase of the ECHL Bakersfield Condors by the Edmonton Oilers suggests that Bakersfield may one day be the city where Edmonton develops their “AAA” prospects. (*) Calgary, which recently signed a one-year agreement to play in Glens Falls, NY for the 2014-15 season, is rumoured to be considering one of either Boise, Utah, or Las Vegas, with the latter being a key point of interest for a future NHL team. (*) Despite ownership issues in Phoenix being stabilized, it appears that they will depart from Portland, ME, and their western destination will either be the current CHL market in Prescott Valley, AZ or Tucson, AZ. (*) If the western shift comes to fruition, as a number of individuals in the hockey community feel it will, and given the recent departure of Calgary Flames, Vancouver may very well look to Abbotsford, BC as their “AAA” affiliate. With Philadelphia departing Glens Falls for Allentown, PA beginning next season, and with Winnipeg looking to depart St. John’s, NL within the next couple of years, along with the aforementioned possibility of a western shift, the next 12-18 months will go down in history as a pivotal turning point in the minor league professional hockey landscape. Although the NHL and NHLPA agreed to extend Performance Enhancing Drug (PED) testing to the AHL in the new CBA at NHL’s expense, it did not materialize for the 2013-14 season. However, discussion continues, and the implementation at the AHL level will occur once proper education vehicles / player awareness has been agreed to and presented to the players. As per the AHL / PHPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, the AHL has provided written confirmation of its desire to extend the current CBA by one (1) year, with all economic issues being revised for the 2014-15 season, while utilizing the U.S. Consumer Price Index as of July 1, 2014. While no negotiations are currently scheduled in advance of the CBA expiry on August 31, 2015, we continue to ensure that we are fully prepared upon commencement of negotiations.