NHLPA Dismisses Excutive Director Ian Penny

Nick Kypreos of Toronto's 590 the FAN is reporting that the NHLPA has closed its doors and shut down operations. The audio from the radio report can be found here.

It's horrific news for the game in itself.

Kypreos, when asked exactly what was going on at the NHLPA headquarters, said:

I don't think they would be closed, [but] they're not in a position to function on a day to day basis.

Furthermore, Bob Mckenzie of TSN is reporting that Interim Executive Director Ian Penny has resigned, but really was dismissed.  Kypreos reports that the ombudsman has been suspended and the regional divisional representatives have been shut down.  Essentially, there is no power structure in place at the NHLPA.

Radio Analyst: If someone needed to contact the NHLPA, Gary Bettman has a situation where he needs to call the NHLPA with something, what options does he have?

Kypreos: Not much right now.

Radio Analyst: Who does he call?

Kypreos: Ghostbusters.

This is just the latest in the continuing implosion of the NHLPA that started with the firing of Paul Kelly and has spiraled downward since.  

There are already questions swirling about the abrupt nature of the closing and the apparent lack of league-wide vote to do so; the decision was made by the four-person review committee comprised of Chris Chelios, Nicklas Lidstrom, Rob Blake, and Mark Recchi, however people are not sure that the review committee acted within its power.

That's what a lot of people are asking.  Whether or not Chris Chelios and his team have that authority.

Kypreos predicts that this move by the NHLPA is the start of the house cleaning, but he believes that for the next few weeks, there will be demands for explanations, questions to be answered and fingerpointing before the union can move forward with reorganizing.  However, Kypreos does not believe there is any way to divine what the players' next move will be:

I think there is a chance for anything.  I think anybody has a chance...Can anyone predict anything that the players think right now? Everything has been changing like the wind, I wouldn't put anything past anybody to do anything.