As Buffalo Sabres pest Patrick Kaleta ponders taking his appeal of a 10-game suspension to an independent arbitrator, the New York Post’s Larry Brooks reports that the situation is divisive within the NHLPA.
In a nutshell, the contention is that some within the union believe that much is being done for guys like Kaleta while victims of hits - also players, of course - are left in the lurch.
The NHLPA has an obligation to represent all defendants. But who represents the victims here? Who represented Rick Nash on the Brad Stuart phone hearing? The NHL, apparently.
It’s worth noting that it was the players - not the league - who seemed likely to hold up safety-first changes like hybrid icing (which eventually went through, of course).
Does that mean that the players union is negligent? That’s probably an unfair leap to make, yet these rumblings do make Kaleta’s approach that much more interesting to watch.