Shanahan encouraging league's young players to seek answers about NHLPA power struggle

Devils wing Brendan Shanahan was one of the first players to express concern about the timing and tactics involved in the early-morning dismissal of NHLPA Executive director Paul Kelly three weeks ago,

Now, some players who were in the excective board meeting that ended with a vote to fire Kelly at approximately 4 a.m., are admitting they felt pressure from the NHLPA's advisory board and should have waited to talk to their teammates before voting.

Edmonton Oilers center Shawn Horcoff, who criticized Shanahan two weeks ago for his comments, is one of those who said he felt pressure, but also said he would not change his vote.

Not that any of this makes Shanahan feel any better about it.

"I don't feel any differently about it," he told me. "I don't like what was done. I don't like how it was done. We tried to put in a system that allows for transparency and I just don't see a whole lot of transparency in insisting upon a vote at 4 o' clock in the morning 11 days before camp opens. And I'm hearing more and more from players that were at the meeting that they felt bullied and there were a lot of people behind the scenes making phone calls. All of those people who were most aggresively going after Paul Kelly insisted and knew that that vote had to take place that night."

When a longtime veteran such as Chris Chelios says he felt like he was ganged up on, something isn't right. Shanahan, 40, says this issue is more important to the league's younger players than to someone like him, who won't have a personal stake in the next CBA negotiations. He feels those young players need to question the motives of those who seemed to be pulling the strings behind the scenes.

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"I think that the younger players in this league have to take a long, hard look at some of  the guys that are still standing after the afternmath," Shanahan said. "It's really going to be up to them. If anything is going to be done, it's the young stars of this league that have to be the driving force. They'll always have guys like me and long union guys for support and advice if they need, but this next collective bargaining agreement is not going to be about guys like me.

"Having been a player rep for about 18 of my 22 seasons and being a close friend of Ted Lindsay and knowing what he did to start this union and the sacrifices he made, I feel deeply about it being in good hands."

Shanahan said he never heard "directly" from any players who disagreed with his original comments three weeks ago. He also said he hasn't been actively calling other players.

"I've only been encouraging players that have questions to seek answers and not just sweep it under the rug," he said.

Shanahan doesn't feel the need to dig any farther himself.

"I think I have my answers," he said.

Comments

[Devs10]

I'd really like to know what his "answers" are

[devilstown]

OFF TOPIC - Rumor has the Devs staying at the West Orange Marriott.

[kstatik]

TG, any significance to the Devs current roster on the site?

http://devils.nhl.com/club/roster.htm

23 David Clarkson 6' 1" 200 Mar 31, 1984 25 Toronto, ON, CAN
26 Patrik Elias "A" 6' 1" 195 Apr 13, 1976 33 Trebic, CZE
15 Jamie Langenbrunner "C" 6' 1" 205 Jul 24, 1975 34 Cloquet, MN, USA
22 Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond 6' 2" 215 Jun 4, 1985 24 Levis, QC, CAN
20 Jay Pandolfo 6' 1" 190 Dec 27, 1974 34 Winchester, MA, USA
9 Zach Parise 5' 11" 190 Jul 28, 1984 25 Minneapolis, MN, USA
10 Rod Pelley 6' 0" 200 Sep 1, 1984 25 Kitimat, BC, CAN
17 Ilkka Pikkarainen 6' 2" 215 Apr 19, 1981 28 Sonkajärvi, FIN
12 Brian Rolston 6' 2" 214 Feb 21, 1973 36 Flint, MI, USA
47 Tim Sestito 5' 11" 200 Aug 28, 1984 25 Rome, NY, USA
14 Brendan Shanahan 6' 3" 220 Jan 23, 1969 40 Mimico, ON, CAN
19 Travis Zajac 6' 2" 200 May 13, 1985 24 Winnipeg, MB, CAN
8 Dainius Zubrus 6' 5" 225 Jun 16, 1978 31 Elektrenai, LTU

6 Andy Greene 5' 11" 195 Oct 30, 1982 26 Trenton, MI, USA
2 Jay Leach 6' 4" 220 Sep 2, 1979 30 Syracuse, NY, USA
7 Paul Martin 6' 1" 195 Mar 5, 1981 28 Minneapolis, MN, USA
27 Mike Mottau 6' 0" 190 Mar 19, 1978 31 Quincy, MA, USA
28 Cory Murphy 5' 9" 175 Feb 13, 1978 31 Kanata, ON, CAN
29 John Oduya 6' 0" 200 Oct 1, 1981 27 Stockholm, SWE
24 Bryce Salvador 6' 2" 220 Feb 11, 1976 33 Brandon, MB, CAN
38 Alexander Urbom 6' 3" 196 Dec 20, 1990 18 Stockholm, SWE
5 Colin White 6' 4" 220 Dec 12, 1977 31 New Glasgow, NS, CAN

30 Martin Brodeur 6' 2" 215 May 6, 1972 37 Montreal, QC, CAN
35 Yann Danis 6' 0" 185 Jun 21, 1981 28 Lafontaine, QC, CAN

(Apologies if TG's blog mangles the formatting of the roster...)

[Pat D]

Who watches the Watchmen?

[TG]

No significance to the Web site roster.

You guys watch that thing way too much in the offseason. It means nothing.

[nj]

whats it about?

[mhowitzaer]

im starting up a fantasy league if anyone is interested. This will be head-to-head and through yahoo. Its for people with hockey sense so invite others if you want, just make sure they are comitted and know what they are doing. Email me or send me your email addresses if you want to join.

[email]mhowardtm@yahoo.com[/email]

[kstatik]

TG - I understand, it might be folly to be looking at it now... but if you look fairly closely
it doesn't nec. look all that far from a possible roster. The interesting names that remain
are Urbom & Sestito... but omit those two and that looks about right!

Provided that Murphy works out over Corrente & Bergfors doesn't make the team...

[kstatik]

Martin Havlat scored two goals against Chicago tonight in Minn's 3-0 defeat of Havlat's old team.

(No Kane or Toews in the line-up...)

[Tommy]

Who's going to the Devils Flyers game Thursday night? On stub hub there's tickets as low as 5 bucks. And where you going to be TG I'd like to shake your hand haha.

[MMS]

Regarding the roster, I bet that no one noticed that all but 4 of the players are all over 6'0". Parise, Greenie, and Sestito are all 5'11", and Murphy is 5'9".

[kstatik]

So I see it this way. Two line-ups, one with Elias injured, and one with him back:

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Jamie Langenbrunner
Brian Rolston - Dainius Zubrus - Brendan Shanahan / David Clarkson
Jay Pandolfo - Rod Pelley - David Clarkson / Brendan Shanahan
Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond / Andrew Peters - Tim Sestito - Ilkka Pikkarainen

And then when Patty's back / healthy:

Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Jamie Langenbrunner
Brian Rolston - Patrik Elias - David Clarkson
Jay Pandolfo - Dainus Zubrus - Brendan Shanahan
Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond / Andrew Peters - Rod Pelley - Ilkka Pikkarainen

[Scotty Hockey]

Anyone else think that Shanny should be the head of the union after he retires? Lord knows where the game would be without him and his summit during the lockout ... and he certainly has been through the wars with the league over his career ...

[dennybrute]

im curious to see how Pando does this year, he struggled a bit last year, and now hes without Madden

[TG]

That roster on the Web site might be close to what they end up with. That's true.

If you're thinking that it means that Sestito, Urbom, Murphy or Leach will be on the team, though, it doesn't. One or two of them might make it. Who knows?

But that roster is no sign of inside information. That's what I thought you were asking.

I get a lot of questions like that. For example, when Bergfors or someone else wasn't on the roster at the end of August, some thought it meant it was predetermined he wouldn't be on the team.

It wasn't.

Bergfors might not make the team (or he may), but it wasn't like the person/people putting up the roster knew that far ahead of time.

[Craigwell]

That was a good article TG.

Shanahan is very quotable on this, and I expect the story should be picked up nationally.

Are you putting this one in the Record? Chere in on this one too?

Nice Work.

[TG]

No, this story was a Fire and Ice exclusive -- so to speak.

Also, I asked Shanahan if he thought he would work for the players' union in some capacity after he retires and he said, "doubtful."

[Christian T.]

Follow the money TG

[Craigwell]

I think this blog and the access to the team really is a benefit to the serious fans out there - myself included.

Obviously the access TG gets is sanctioned by Mr. Lamoriello himself, so there is some irony when people complain about what we're able to know and when about the team.

These guys managing teams are all playing a poker game with each other through the media and on the ice.

NHL Hockey is really quite interesting and an intelligent game when viewed as a whole.

Nice that we're privileged enough to get a slice of it served up.

Yes, make some money while you do it sir. You must certainly be gaining some leverage for your next contract.

[nnjrules]

Pelley, greene, pikka these guys are a dime a dozen. I know there are a lot of andy lovers on here but I rather see murphy and his right handed shot that hits the net on the PP, rather than waiting for the other waiting to become the next rafalski. Just don't see it happening. Pelley seems like a guy who thinks his spot is a given and needs to kick it up a few gears. Pikka??? He was a tough guy in a euro league, well so was fantasy boy johhny O, he showed no effort in his first game. Its only one game but those guys need to show something to me, other wise I hope lou sees who is on the scrap pile from other teams.
I don't think langs will get traded, but ..BUT he would fetch a nice return. Saying that you don't win cups without guys like him and players like clarkson.

[TG]

I do get some information that Mr. Lamoriello doesn't sanction.

[Pearl Jammed]

Just a heads up and a reminder to those that are in my Fire and Ice fantasy hockey league, the Draft is tuesday at 930, so see you all in the draft room then!

TG is there any fallout or anything at all with the White Langenbrunner incident earlier in the week?

[Cupwinner]

To answer an earlier question, I will be at the game on Thursday at Philly.

[SonicDude]

yes TG, i know you never said that you thought the devils were not going to make a trade for a center. my question was whether, given your very forthcoming articles about needing to trade, if you were thinking lou had changed his mind.

but we got to the answer i was looking for...that you still think he's looking for someone.

[TG]

Everything is good with Langenbrunner and White. It turned out to be nothing.