1992 NHL strike

1992 Player's strike by North American ice hockey players August 2023 The 1992 NHL strike was the first strike action initiated by the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) against the National Hockey League's (NHL) owners. It was called on April 1, 1992, and lasted ten days. The settlement saw the players earn a large increase in their playoff bonuses, increased control over the licensing of their likenesses and changes to the free agency system. In addition, the season was expanded to 84 games and included provisions for each team to play two games per season in non-NHL cities. As a result of the strike, the owners removed John Ziegler as President, replacing him with Gil Stein. The strike fundamentally altered the relationship between the league and its players. Background The NHLPA was formed in 1967, and led by Alan Eagleson, who served as executive-director. Eagleson remained in that position until December 1991, when he was forced to resign after the players became uneasy with the relationship he had with the league's owners.Pincus, 2006, p. 169 Three years later, in November 1994, the Law Society of Upper Canada charged Eagleson with numerous offences, accusing him of embezzlement, providing unauthorized loans using union funds to his friends and associates and of colluding with the NHL's owners.McKinley, 2006, p.301 In 1996, he faced similar charges from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and later the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States. In 1998, Eagleson pleaded guilty to the charges, earning him a C$1 million fine and eighteen-months in jail.McKinley, 2006, p.302 Eagleson was succeeded as NHLPA executive-director on January 1, 1992, by former player agent Bob Goodenow. He had served as deputy director of the NHLPA since 1990, and had spent his time instructing the players on the issues the union faced in its relations with the league.Murphy Austin http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003558/index.htm A striking change Sports Illustrated 1992-03-22 2009-03-11 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090727004207/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003558/index.htm 2009-07-27 As executive-director, Goodenow was tasked with negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement, which had expired prior to the start of the 1991–92 NHL season.Lapointe Joe https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE6D8163DF937A35752C0A964958260&scp=13&sq=Bob+Goodenow&st=nyt What's up inside the rinks and with outside issues New York Times 1992-01-04 2009-03-11 Goodenow met with NHL President John Ziegler as the two attempted to negotiate an agreement on a range of issues including how free agency worked, the arbitration process, playoff bonuses and pensions.Lapointe Joe https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDA173CF936A15751C0A964958260&scp=15&sq=Bob+Goodenow&st=nyt N.H.L. and Union face off New York Times 1992-02-25 2009-03-11 The issue of how to share trading card revenue was considered to be one of the greatest stumbling blocks the two sides faced.Duhatschek Eric Trading-card revenue isn't bubblegum issue Calgary Herald 1992-04-02 E1 Strike The players called the first general strike in NHL history on April 1, 1992, after the union rejected the owners' last offer before their deadline by a vote of 560-to-4.Lapointe Joe https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEEDC1739F931A35757C0A964958260&scp=35&sq=Bob+Goodenow&st=nyt Puck stops everywhere as players go on strike New York Times 1992-04-01 2009-03-11 By calling the strike so close to the end of the regular season, the players felt they had the advantage, as the majority of owners profits were realized in the playoffs. Playoff bonuses for players ranged from between US$3,000 for players on teams who lost in the first round, up to $25,000 for players on the Stanley Cup championship team. The owners, meanwhile, stood to earn $500,000 per playoff game played.Wulf Steve http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003655/index.htm https://archive.today/20130102060337/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003655/index.htm dead January 2, 2013 Season on ice Sports Illustrated 1992-04-13 2009-03-11 Talks continued after the players walked out, though it appeared for a time that the season was lost after union negotiators rejected the league's "final offer" on April 7.Lapointe Joe https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE6DE1E39F93BA35757C0A964958260&scp=43&sq=Bob+Goodenow&st=nyt N.H.L. players reject 'final' offer New York Times 1992-04-08 2009-03-11 A United States Federal Mediator joined the negotiations the next day amidst pessimism over the two sides' willingness to negotiate.Lapointe Joe https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE4D71531F93AA35757C0A964958260&scp=44&sq=Bob+Goodenow&st=nyt No promises, but federal mediator will attempt to resolve N.H.L. strike New York Times 1992-04-09 2009-03-11 While the two sides had reached an agreement on most issues, negotiations on how revenue from trading cards was to be split became a key sticking point as the owners hoped to increase their share of the $16 million in annual revenues. The strike ended on April 10 after the two sides reached an agreement on a two-year deal, retroactive to the beginning of the season, allowing the final 30 games of the regular season and the playoffs to go on.Lapointe Joe https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE7DA123AF932A25757C0A964958260&scp=46&sq=Bob+Goodenow&st=nyt Play hockey! Settlement ends 10-day strike New York Times 1992-04-11 2009-03-11 As part of the deal, the following seasons were expanded from 80 to 84 games (later reduced to 82 games, after the 1994–95 NHL lockout), and the players received a large increase in playoff bonuses and changes to free agency and arbitration.Pincus, 2006, 170 The two sides agreed to have each team play two games in neutral site locations, partly as a means of gauging interest in future expansion.Lapointe Joe https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DC1330F932A1575BC0A964958260 If you freeze it, the N.H.L. will come New York Times 1992-07-21 2009-03-10 The players conceded to the owners demands on a one-year deal, immediately creating fears that the owners could lock the players out following the 1992–93 season. Legacy Goodenow called the strike a "major moment", stating "I don't think the owners took the players seriously and it wasn't until the strike that they understood the players were serious." The owners replaced Ziegler as president following the season, naming Gil Stein as interim president. In 1992-93 NHL season, Stein was the last president when the former National Basketball Association vice-president Gary Bettman became the first Commissioner of the NHL. Working towards labour peace was among the tasks handed to Bettman when the owners hired him.Lapointe Joe https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DB1339F931A35751C0A965958260 Opening day for N.H.L.'s first Commissioner 2009-03-11 1993-02-02 New York Times The spectre of a lockout was realized one year later than feared, as after playing the 1993–94 season without a valid CBA, the owners locked the players out on the eve of the 1994–95 season. References General McKinley Michael 2006 Hockey: A People's History McClelland & Stewart 0-7710-5769-5 https://archive.org/details/hockeypeopleshis0000mcki registration Pincus Arthur 2006 The Official Illustrated NHL History Reader's Digest 0-88850-800-X Footnotes Strike Nhl Players Strike, 1992 Category:National Hockey League labor relations Category:Sports labor disputes in the United States Category:Ice hockey controversies Category:Sports labour disputes in Canada