Former NHL Players’ Association executive director Bob Goodenow, who led the union through three work stoppages and helped bring the NHL to the Olympics, has died. He was 72.
The union announced Goodenow’s passing on Saturday. An NHLPA spokesperson reported that the organization learned of Goodenow’s death from his wife, but was unaware of the cause of death.
Bob was an exceptionally influential leader whose unwavering commitment to the players helped shape the modern era of the NHLPA.
NHL Players’ Association
Goodenow left his mark on the organization by raising the level of representation provided by the NHLPA staff, working tirelessly to educate players, strengthening membership, and building trust in the office’s work on behalf of the players.Among Goodenow’s achievements is his collaboration with the league to jointly launch the 1996 Hockey World Cup, which led to the Olympic debut of NHL players at the 1998 Nagano Games.
Goodenow led the NHLPA during multiple lockouts, including the 2004-05 campaign, when the entire season was canceled. He resigned that same summer.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, in his remembrance of Goodenow, noted that he was a captain at Harvard and a player in the minor leagues before serving as an agent and working for the union for 14 years.
Bob was a skilled lawyer and a tenacious advocate for the players he represented as an agent and as head of the Players Association.
Goodenow became the second executive director of the NHLPA in 1992, replacing Alan Eagleson after he resigned amid fraud allegations.
Goodenow led the players through a 103-day lockout that lasted from October 1, 1994 to January 11, 1995, and which saw the season shortened to 48 games.
At that time, the main issue was the implementation of a salary cap, something that the team owners wanted and the players opposed. The issue resurfaced with the lockout that eliminated the 2004-05 season.
That lockout was resolved on July 13, 2005, with the implementation of a salary cap and a minimum salary, and the guarantee that players would get 54% of the NHL’s total revenue.
Shortly after the agreement was reached, Goodenow was asked to step down as Executive Director of the NHLPA. He was replaced by Ted Saskin.
Months after Goodenow’s management, the NHLPA held a 10-day strike just before the start of the 1992 playoffs, which led to the players obtaining an increase in postseason bonuses and gaining control of their name, image, and usage rights.
Goodenow called the strike a “significant moment” for the union and said it marked the first time the owners began to take the NHLPA seriously. The strike led to the owners removing John Ziegler as NHL president, and Bettman became the league’s first commissioner in 1993.
Among other contributions by Goodenow, his help to the union to establish an agent certification program stands out, securing the players’ right to obtain second medical opinions and working with the NHL to implement a substance abuse and behavioral health program for players and their families. In 1999, he co-founded the NHLPA Goals & Dreams program, which continues to help build the sport by donating equipment and resources to hockey programs around the world.
Bob introduced players to the modern business era of the game, building strong licensing and sponsorship programs in the NHLPA, investing in technology and education, and ensuring that players had a voice in shaping the future of the game.
NHL Players’ Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association released a statement on X, crediting Goodenow for leaving a legacy that “will last for generations”.
Goodenow is survived by his wife, Wendy, three children, and three grandchildren.
