After over a decade of leading the NHLPA, Executive Director Donald Fehr is passing the torch to Marty Walsh.
Marty Walsh to Replace Donald Fehr as Executive Director of the NHLPA
NHLPA Executive Board appoints Martin J. Walsh as Executive Director. Walsh will begin his new role in mid-March: https://t.co/qUJPM82GTY pic.twitter.com/MrQlSTIUpD
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) February 16, 2023
It has been announced that former U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh has been named the next Executive Director of the NHLPA. Following a search for new leadership beginning in April of 2022, Walsh replaces long-time NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr. Fehr served as the Executive Director of the NHLPA since 2010. During that time Fehr lead the NHLPA through a lockout and Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiation in 2012-13, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a CBA extension in 2020. That extension will expire after the 2025-26 season. It will be Walsh’s task to engage in the vigorous process of negotiating the next CBA with the NHL.
New Leadership Moving Forward
As a late entrant in the Executive Director search, Marty Walsh joins the NHLPA after serving as the U.S. Secretary of Labor on President Biden’s cabinet since 2021. Prior to serving in that role, Walsh was the Mayor of Boston from 2014 until 2021. It was reported that the players were looking for someone without hockey labour ties to bring a new and fresh perspective to the NHLPA. With the exception of Chairman of the NHL Board of Governorasd Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs contributing to Walsh’s mayoral campaign, Walsh was not as connected to hockey like the other candidates for the role.
Even though Walsh does not have specific hockey ties, he does bring with him extensive labour experience. He first joined the Laborer’s Union Local 223 at age 21 and later lead the Building and Construction Trades Council in Boston. Interestingly, Walsh is the first Executive Director of the NHLPA without a legal background.
While the NHL and NHLPA are currently in a relatively peaceful relationship, there are many items Walsh will have to address in this new role. Even though the current CBA doesn’t expire until 2026, negotiating the next CBA with the NHL will be a large item on Walsh’s to-do list. Meanwhile, Walsh will likely look to negotiate with the NHL on the NHLPA’s behalf on increasing the salary cap.
Photo Credit: Wicked Local photo Kinga Borondy / USA TODAY NETWORK
