After serving 6 months in jail and being fined almost $700,000 in the late '90s for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the NHL players' pension fund, for NHLPA boss Alan Eagleson has somehow managed to make more money off of NHL players.
CTV.ca reports that Eagleson is planning to auction off over 100 pieces of hockey memorabilia from his collection.
ClassicAuctions.net is handling the auction of 98 items, mostly game-worn jerseys.
Alan Eagleson's relationship with hockey is very much a love-hate one. You can't argue his contributions to the sport, which include helping form the '72 Summit Series and heading the NHLPA for 25 years.
But then you look at the dark side of Alan Eagleson. He embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from NHL players' pension fund. He used that money to buy expensive clothes and theater tickets, as well as a London luxury apartment. After being convicted, Eagleson was removed from the Hockey Hall of Fame, disbarred as a lawyer, and removed from the Order of Canada.
Growing up a Bruins fan in a strong hockey household, I was taught the story of Bobby Orr. The greatest defenseman in the history of the world, responsible for bringing the Bruins multiple Stanley Cups and winning numerous awards. But the story of Bobby Orr did not have a happy ending. Forced to end his career at 30 because of bad knees, he did so after playing briefly over 2 years in Chicago.
I knew, just like Dave Stubbs of The Gazette, about
Eagleson's betrayal of his first client, Bobby Orr, who left his gravelly knees scattered over Boston ice, yet absurdly ended his career in Chicago, on his agent's advice, and retired virtually bankrupt.
Eagleson neglected to tell Orr that Boston had offered a better deal which included an 18% stake in the team. He had such a negative impact on Orr that Orr formed his own agency while in retirement to make sure that future players were not taken advantage of like he had been.
Knowing what he did to the beloved Bobby Orr, as well as numerous other players, I find it despicable that he can manage to make more money off them. What makes it worse is his lack of guilt and remorse. Dave Stubbs' view of Eagleson after an hour interview was that "His supreme confidence and colossal sense of self were unbroken by his fall from dizzying heights. Remorse? None. Satisfaction with how his life has turned out? Complete." It makes me sick. He shouldn't be able to make one cent off the auction. All proceeds should go to some hockey minded group, like Hockey Canada. It's president, Bob Nicholson, has already encouraged Eagleson to consider donating a cut of the profits to the group.
