Q and A with new NHLPA boss Marty Walsh

Marty Walsh has been a construction union leader, Massachusetts state legislator, two-term Mayor of Boston, Labour Secretary under President Joe Biden and has refereed everything from a threatened U.S. rail strike to helping end one by Hub nurses.

But what the average hockey player and fans want to know is can the new executive director of the NHL Players Association head off any more disruptions of play down the road and deal with present hot-button issues such as escrow payments, resumption of best-on-best tournaments, treatment of marginalized players, the LBGTQ pride sweater flap and post-career mental health?

Walsh, 55, officially addressed the long list of concerns and his coming confrontations with commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday at an introductory media conference in Toronto. Other than some quick chats to get to know Bettman since Walsh’s appointment in February to replace Donald Fehr, Walsh is trying to get up to speed as soon as he can.

“Collective bargaining is down the road (the current CBA expires in the summer of 2026),” Walsh said. “(But) there are some issues front and centre.”

What are your priorities, what do the players want from you?

“The Search Committee asked me a lot of questions about my style and the thing I focused on was making sure I understood the membership. Not talking once a year at them, but building a relationship. They deserve a leader who knows who they are and their families, then we can move from there.

“I think I bring a different perspective than every single one of my predecessors.

“In a typical union, you get maybe a third or less of membership engaged. My goal is to get more.”

What’s your sense of issues regarding a World Cup (perhaps in 2025 and the 2026 Olympics)?

“Let’s have the World Cup back, let’s establish a forward-looking schedule so we can (plan) consistent. Fans love it, players love it.

“Right now, commenting about things going on in the world (various sanctions against Russia) … it’s a little early to talk about who is involved or not, but let’s get the tournament on paper. Then we’ll deal with challenges as times go on.

“The Olympics is in the CBA and there’ll be conversations about that in a couple of years. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Bettman has maybe kept the door open to increasing the cap by $1 million next year. Is that on the immediate agenda?

“He brought that up. Certainly we’ll continue that conversation. I need a chance to talk to the players more.  But we’re not open to changing the escrow (the payments that are a sore point with the PA).”

What’s your view of the hard cap system and might the players entertain a luxury tax?

“I’m new, I’ve learned a lot about the cap, but it’s still too premature to talk about what we’ll do in negotiations. That’s the going to be about the direction the players want to go.”

Teams/players who opt out of Pride Nights or wearing Pride warm-up sweaters?

“The commissioner said the other day that he supports individuals’ rights and I agree. But personally in 2004 in Massachusetts when the court ruled gay marriage was legal, I was one of the members to preserve equality, and always a very strong supporter of the LBGTQ-plus community. As Mayor, we raised the Trans flag at City Hall.

“A super majority of players have worn the jersey. I think it’s really important as a league to have an inclusive locker room. We probably have some work to do there.”

When the findings of the investigations into the alleged sexual assault involving the 2018 Canadian junior team come out, what will be your role?

“I can’t comment on that investigation at the moment. But any situation that arises with a player, an allegation and there’s a finding, whatever it is, that’s something we’ll take very seriously.  In these cases, not necessarily this one, you’re innocent until proven guilty and we represent the players.”

What’s the optimal relationship with you and Bettman, how well have you got to know him?

“We’ll have a wonderful relationship – as long as he agrees with everything I say (laughs). We’re in the early early stages, but my approach in labour disputes or negotiating contracts is that as long as we mutually respect each other, there’s a great opportunity for players and the league.”

You’re well aware of the Kyle Beach situation in Chicago a couple of years ago, What does the (league and PA) plan to do to make sure the situation doesn’t happen again with regard to the miscommunication?

MW: “I can’t speak for what the NHL’s done, but I’ve been brought up to speed and followed it before I was in this role. It shouldn’t have happened and I need to make sure something like that never does again, meaning the lack of communication.”

Can you describe your relationship with the Jacobs family (owners of the Bruins)?

“I know them well as Mayor. I know all the sports teams in Boston, the group that owns the Penguins, I know (Patriots owner) Robert Kraft as a friend, the Celtics’ owners.

“The next question is probably did they support my campaign? They did. But in my entire career as legislator, supporting me is one thing, but using it as a way to leverage me (now) is never going to happen.”

What is your commitment to the PWHPA and women’s hockey?

“There’s a relationship now and hopefully we strengthen that moving forward. We have a couple of staffers here who played women’s hockey. We have to look at expanding hockey and women are a big part of that.”

With all the former NHLers suffering from physical and mental health issues, do you foresee changes to the amount of insurance the league subsidizes?

“I just had lunch with (NHL Alumni execs) Glenn Healy and Kelly Chase. That was pretty much the conversation and I look forward to moving that dialogue. We want to make sure the transition from being a player into an alum is smooth.

How hard was it to leave the Biden cabinet?

“When this opportunity came up, it was very difficult to go to the president and tell him I would take this role. I wasn’t sure if he’d say ‘you’re not, you’re staying’.

“I loved to work for Biden. It was amazing to watch it be one, if not the most successful two-year administrations in history, passing landmark legislation, moving the American economy and in many ways, the world economy.”

How strong a Bruins fan are you?

“When I was kid, I had cancer (requiring a major abdominal operation in 1975). I was in Children’s Hospital and Bobby Orr came to visit. He was on crutches from knee surgery. I had a chance to meet him and get an autograph. Just amazing. He went to Chicago, but my memory is of Stan Jonathan, Terry O’Reilly, Don Marcotte, Kenny Hodge, Gerry Cheevers, Gilles Gilbert, that team. I had season’s tickets from 87 to ’95.”

“The First Lady (Jill Biden) and I had a Boston rivalry going on. I know the President made a comment the other day (during an Ottawa visit that he dislikes the Leafs as the couple are Flyer fans), but she’s hardcore, Flyers and (Philadelphia Eagles).”

lhornby@postmedia.com