Report: U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh a leading candidate for NHLPA executive director job

The NHL Players’ Association is zeroing in on a leading candidate to replace Donald Fehr as its executive director.

As reported Wednesday by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the PA will be meeting this week in Florida during the 2023 NHL All-Star weekend to discuss the potential appointment of U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh to the position.

Walsh, 55, was Mayor of Boston from 2014 through 2021 and comes from a union background. He left his post in March 2021 to serve under the cabinet of U.S. President Joe Biden. Under Biden, Walsh has been tasked with overseeing regulations to protect the rights of more than 150 million workers across the country. He was previously president of the Laborers’ International Union of North America and was head of the Building Construction and Trades Council in Boston.

Most notably in a sports context: Walsh played a key role as a mediator in helping Major League Baseball come to a lockout resolution in 2022. As for how he fits into the pro hockey world: from a union-to-owners relations perspective, he also has a key connection to Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, an extremely influential voice as chairman of the NHL’s Board of Governors. In 2017 the Jacobs family donated $13,000 to Walsh’s political committee.

Fehr, 74, will be stepping down after 12 years in his position. Pressure mounted for him to leave his post late last season due to his perceived lack of day-to-day value as someone who can generate regular revenue for the PA during the peaceful periods between heavy collective bargaining. As ESPN reported, the PA wants to have a new executive director in place by the end of this regular season.

According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, it’s unlikely the NHLPA executive board confirms Walsh and more likely the board calls for a full membership vote. Walsh would need 18 of 32 votes to be approved for the position.

Per Seravalli, the NHLPA issued this statement Thursday about the process.

According to ESPN, former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis is also a candidate for the job.

The current collective bargaining agreement between the NHL players and owners expires at the end of the 2025-26 season.