The NHL Players’ Association has been taking a beating lately over the fact that it represented Patrick Kaleta in the appeal of his 10-game suspension. It leaves the perception that the PA cares only about the guy who is losing money and not the victim of the miscreant behavior.
But here’s the thing. First, the NHLPA has a legal duty to represent the interests of its members to ensure they receive due process when they’re being disciplined. But even more, the NHLPA didn’t take on Kaleta’s case because it thinks he’s an angel. It did so because there are enormous inconsistencies in the penalties that are handed out for head shots. And if the Kaleta case has proved anything, it’s that the NHL desperately needs a system of standardized suspensions. Brendan Shanahan already has the most difficult job in hockey and the lack of any uniformity in suspensions makes it that much harder.


http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/wh...daily_20131026