TORONTO (AP) -The NHL Players’ Association fired executive director Ted Saskin on Thursday, two months after placing him on a paid leave of absence following allegations that he and senior director Ken Kim read players’ e-mails.
The union’s executive board, made up of 30 player representatives and the six-member interim executive committee, voted to fire Saskin on a conference call.
“All I am going to say at this time is that I remain proud of all the work I did for NHL players over the last 16 years and particularly in negotiating the new CBA, which has been working out well,” Saskin said. “I will work towards a fair resolution of my contractual rights with the NHLPA and wish them well in the future.”
The NHLPA said it was considering its options with Kim, and would have no further comment at this time.
“I doubt it’s over,” said Chris Chelios, the Detroit player who spearheaded the movement to fire Saskin. “We haven’t heard from Ted yet. But it was a unanimous vote today, which was nice. We’re all on the same page. We’re moving forward.”
Saskin and Kim were put on paid leaves in March, and Toronto employment lawyer Chris Paliare was subsequently retained as outside counsel to look into the situation.
An internal review into the hiring of Saskin, conducted by Toronto lawyer Sheila Block, is ongoing and expected to be completed this summer.
Saskin replaced Bob Goodenow as executive director on July 28, 2005, without other candidates being interviewed for the job. That sparked dissension from Chelios, former executive committee member Trent Klatt and former NHLPA executive Steve Larmer.
Saskin was in the second year of a five-year deal reportedly worth $10 million.
Saskin joined the NHLPA in 1992 and was credited with helping the union increase its revenue in the licensing department.
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