One of the great things about the blogosphere is the opportunity to build on ideas.
And unlike publishing in print, it’s also nice to be able to quickly blow up a blog if you happen to spot a couple of brain cramps.
Fortunately, for the purposes of this exercise, I’m pleased to report we’re in a building mode.
In a recently posted column, I took the NHL Player’s Association to task for firing executive director Paul Kelly amid whispers that he wasn’t tough enough to tangle with the owners during the next round of CBA negotiations.
But the 30 player reps who decided Kelly’s fate aren’t exactly a “Who’s Who” of the hockey world.
Players such as Garnet Exelby, Andrew Ference and Steve Valiquette have all earned the right to compete in the NHL, however a large portion of the “Dirty 30” who ditched Kelly are ham and eggers who have little in common with star players who actually stir the drink.
For example, as mentioned in the column, Sidney Crosby doesn’t hold the players rep position with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Considering his on-ice role as the squad’s franchise player and his busy off-ice schedule promoting the NHL, asking Sid the Kid to take a union job might seem a little much.
However, there are some very compelling reasons to place superstars at the bargaining table.
For starters, it would be nice if a few player reps were athletes who fans actually pay to see. Too many of the NHLPA’s decisions are made by third- and fourth-liners who sometimes forget that they’re lucky to be in the league and earning such an excellent living. Having a few superstars looking over their shoulders in the union boardroom might help some of these guys keep their positions in the game in proper perspective.
Meanwhile, thanks to their elevated status, big-name players are much more privy to NHL business. Due to public appearances and promotional responsibilities, such as last season’s commercial that featured Crosby’s humorous “Ovechkin!” grumble, superstars and league officials often work hand-in-hand selling the game.
To a lot of current player reps that’s akin to making a deal with the devil. But Sid the Kid and his fellow franchise players could serve an important purpose by convincing union skeptics that the majority of owners really aren’t all that evil.
So, how do you get the stars to start shining at the NHLPA?
It should start during the next round of CBA sessions. Rather than trying to take the owners for every penny, the players need to get creative and turn the microscope on themselves. To that end, the NHLPA should demand that players on each club are to be given the responsibility of naming their team captain, completely removing the coach and management from the process.
The union should then decree that each captain would also serve as the team’s player rep, immediately making the “C” even more important.
Under this plan, captains such as Washington’s Chris Clark would still bring the blue-collar perspective to the association. But Crosby and other talented players would also be in the mix to offer fresh views and represent the fans who pay good money to follow the stars.
Sure, Sid might have to cut his Nova Scotia summers a little short.
But Crosby and his band of superstars are used to getting the puck in crucial situations, and they need to steal it from current player reps who keep shooting themselves in the foot.