Former assistant U.S. attorney Paul Kelly
nominated to be NHLPA executive director
Posted 10/16/2007 2:04 AM | Comment | Recommend
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TORONTO (AP) — The NHL Players' Association officially nominated former assistant U.S. attorney Paul Kelly on
Monday for its executive director position.
The unanimous nomination was made during a conference call Monday night with the union's 30 player
representatives, who will conduct a secret ballot vote during the next week. A majority vote is required for Kelly to be
elected.
The five-player search committee, consisting of Eric Lindros, Chris Chelios, Mike Cammalleri, Shawn Horcoff and
Robyn Regehr, got help from Chicago search firm Reilly Partners and interviewed a long list of candidates before
narrowing it to three. NFL Players Association lawyer Richard Berthelsen, and Bill Gregson, president and CEO of
sports store chain Forzani Group, were the other finalists with Kelly.
Kelly is a partner at Kelly, Libby & Hoopes, a Boston law firm that specializes in internal investigations and complex
civil and administrative litigation. He previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts,
and was involved in the investigation of former NHLPA leader Alan Eagleson.
Kelly was also Marty McSorley's lawyer when the former NHL defenseman was charged for his assault on former
Vancouver Canucks tough guy Donald Brashear.
"We've got a way to see what happens, but he's been recommended," Chelios said Monday night in Anaheim after
Detroit's 6-3 loss. "Obviously the word's out, so it just remains to be seen what the board thinks and what the players
think, and we'll go from there."
Ted Saskin was fired as executive director union last May amid allegations he ordered the spying of NHLPA player email in the midst of a player uprising that challenged how he took over for Bob Goodenow after the NHL lockout in
2005.
"A lot of it had to do with where we are now," Chelios said. "We'll discuss it at length with the players and inform them
about why we came to this decision. And we all believe we made the right decision.
"He obviously knows the law, and he's been in pressure situations, legal situations, and we're stuck with the CBA for
the next two years at least - maybe five - and I think we have to learn the CBA first, and then make sure that
everybody's held accountable for that. And if anybody tries to cheat now or do anything wrong, we've got the right guy
now."
The Associated Press