---> Special entry from a non-player <-- This is Alan Eagleson. He was hockey's first player agent, formed the NHLPA, brought NHL players to international competition, and generally made hockey players wealthy, famous, and enjoy a better work environment. He was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame and awarded the Order of Canada, the country's highest honour... That's what he'd let you know if you gave him a minute of your time, anyway. The truth is that Alan Eagleson is, along with some NHL owners, the dirtiest man in the history of hockey. Anything I list here is a mere drop in the bucket. To get the real and complete story, I suggest two outstanding books: Net Worth - David Cruis & Alison Griffith Game Misconduct - Russ Conway In point form: Used money from the players' pension fund to arranged mortgages and loan money to friends and business associates, all without NHLPA approval. Simultaneously represented NHL players and management, created a clear conflict of interest. Had connections with the underwriters of NHL insurance policies, personally benefiting from any payouts that were not paid to his player clients. He would inform that their claims were denied without letting them know he profited from it. Eagleson would also charge his clients fees for "fighting the insurnance companies" for the players benefits when, in fact, the companies had alreay agreed to pay the players. Using these ties to the insurance companies, Eagleson convinced players to take part in tournaments like the '72 Series and the Canada Cup without real insurance protection, all with the possibility of making money. Contocted a scam where he pocketed money from board advertising during international competitions. Secretly lent money from the pension fund to the NHL so the league could prop up struggling franchises. Had a deal setup with NHL owners, whereby funds from international tournaments were directed to the pension plan, all so the team owners wouldn't have to contribute. Eagleson had, shall we say, interesting methods when it came to CBA discussions. First, he would spread rumours that the NHL wanted to hire him to be NHL President. Then, minutes before CBA negotiations, he would go to where the players were gathered and tell them "My contract is up. Until I get a new one, I won't represent you. I want you to take a few minutes to look at my list of demands, and you decide if they're ok with you." During CBA negotiations, Eagleson simply accepted every assertion made by the NHL regarding how poor the franchises were, stating that he did it all to keep the players' union costs lower. This resulted in CBA discussions which were little more than friendly sit-downs and were clear wins for ownership. When asked about the CBA of 1975, Harold Ballard said "Sure, it's great contract. For us. The players got screwed." Eagleson was a fan of doing his duties as NHLPA Director yet charging clients money for that duty as their agent: if a player wanted to grieve an issue he had with his team, Eagleson would file it but still charge him a fee as the player's agent. After the 1976 season, Eagleson told Bobby Orr that the Bruins viewed him as damaged goods, but he didn't tell Orr the offer the Bruins had made: one of the most lucrative contracts in sports history plus 18.5% ownership in the hockey club. Instead, Orr went to the Blackhawks for far less money, all part of a scheme between Bill Wirtz, John Ziegler and Eagleson, in which they colluded to keep salaries down across the league. Within two years, Orr was out of hockey and found he was destitute. There is much more... So much more, but these are some the bigger points. Eagleson was charged with 34 counts of racketeering, obstruction of justice, fraud and embezzlement in the US, and 8 counts of fraud and theft in Canada. In the end, Eagleson pled guilty to 3 counts of mail fraud in the US, and was fined $700,000. In Canada, Eageson served 6 months of an 18 month sentence after guilty pleas for fraud and embezzlement. He was disbarred from the law profession and stripped of his Order of Canada status. JR