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The dissident players who oppose Ted Saskin's appointment as the National Hockey League Players' Association's new executive director have apparently not given up the fight.
Two days after the NHLPA announced a majority of ballots from its 37-member executive board confirmed Saskin as the union's new leader, the dissident player group challenged the results of the election and the manner in which it was held.
In a press release issued on behalf of Trent Klatt, a former NHL player and a member of the executive committee that negotiated the new collective agreement, the dissident players disputed the results of the election, even though it was conducted on behalf of the NHLPA by the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"Why are the ballots sent to Ted Saskin?" asked Minnesota Wild goaltender Dwayne Roloson, an executive board member, in a statement posted on , the dissident players' official website. "Why should he know which teams have voted and which teams haven't and his boss, the players do not?"
The Detroit Red Wings' Chris Chelios, another player strongly opposed to Saskin's appointment, added: "This entire secret ballot vote was a joke and the Detroit Red Wings will not vote and validate Saskin's phony secret ballot election. If our team were to vote, the vote is no. This secret ballot is another example of Ted Saskin manipulating the process for his own personal gain."
Klatt, who retired last September before the start of the 2005-06 season, but remains active in union politics, suggested Saskin's motivations were purely selfish.
"Ted Saskin is trying to save a job and us [sic]players are trying to save a union," Klatt said. "Ted has shown the players that he is incapable of running this union in an open way. I agree with Steve Larmer, the NHLPA has gone backwards to the Eagleson days."
Larmer, a 15-year NHL veteran and a senior NHLPA employee for the past seven, resigned last Saturday, charging the player union had gone "backwards, back to the days of Alan Eagleson" by failing to follow the proper protocols in electing a successor to Bob Goodenow, the NHLPA's former executive director.
Eagleson, the founder of the NHLPA, was convicted for his activities as executive director at the NHLPA.
Bob Lanza, the lawyer for more than 100 NHL players challenging Saskin's appointment, said in a statement, "Ted Saskin's illegal secret ballot vote is yet another illegal tactic in a long line of illegal tactics."
"The constitution needed to be followed at such a sensitive time," said Willie Mitchell, a rank-and-file player on the Minnesota Wild, "Knowing that it hasn't been, questions are being rightfully asked. We players will get the answers."
Last month, a group of players unhappy with the NHLPA succession process, engaged Lanza's law firm, Sonneschein, Nath & Rosethal LLP, to represent their interests before the U.S. Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB heard the case last week, but has not yet released a report of its findings.
On Sept. 12, the NHLPA initiated a secret ballot to consider Saskin's candidacy for the union's top job and its $2.1-million (U.S.) annual salary.
On Thursday, the NHLPA revealed PricewaterhouseCoopers had notified themthe majority of eligible votes had been reached and 85 per cent of submitted ballots confirmed Saskin's appointment.
PricewaterhouseCoopers will continue to count any ballots that remain outstanding until Dec. 16, according to the NHLPA.
Saskin didn't say how many ballots were still unaccounted for, but said onHockey Night in Canada, that a quorum -- 25 of 37 -- had been reached, which was why the results of the election were released.
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