Five years ago the National Hockey League Players Association was locked in mortal combat with the league over a new collective bargaining agreement, specifically the league's desire to impose "cost certainty" upon player salaries. 

Since giving in to the league by agreeing in July 2005 to accept a salary cap the NHLPA has been in a seemingly constant state of upheaval with its leadership.

Bob Goodenow, the executive director who led the PA to two labor victories over the NHL in the 1990s', lost the support of the players during the season-killing 2004-05 lockout and re-signed in the summer of 2005 

His replacement was his former lieutenant Ted Saskin but he was fired by the association nearly two years later when it was revealed he'd been reading the players' private association e-mails.

Saskin was replaced by former labor lawyer Paul Kelly, famous for his successful prosecution of former PA director Alan Eagleson for corruption and embezzlement, and was considered by many observers as the right man to pick up the pieces within the PA and to negotiate with the league in the next round of collective bargaining slated for either 2011 or 2012.

But this August Kelly was voted out as executive director in what has been described as a power grab by a group led by PA legal counsel Ian Penny, former PA ombudsman Eric Lindros, ombudsman Buzz Hargrove and advisor Ron Pink. 

Penny took over as interim executive director but the manner in which Kelly was replaced angered and upset many players, including former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios, who was also responsible with several others in the successful ouster of Saskin.

Chelios along with several others challenged the manner over Kelly's ouster, ultimately resulting in Penny, three members of the PA advisory board and one member of the PA's legal counsel to re-sign, or in Penny's mind, dismissed. 

The PA executive board last week voted to form a review committee to review their operations, with Chelios, Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, Boston Bruins forward Mark Recchi and San Jose Sharks defenseman Rob Blake as part of it. 

So now the question is, where does the PA go from here? 

They'll be facing CBA negotiations with the league in two years time, although most likely the PA will probably vote to extend the agreement to 2012 to provide them more time to get their house in order. 

Some observers suggest the PA should re-hire Kelly but it remains to be seen if that's even possible or if he wants to return to the position. 

Some NHL owners are undoubtedly enjoying the continued implosion of the PA since the 2004-05 lockout and would probably love to exploit the situation but for the PA time remains on their side in getting itself sorted out. 

What remains to be seen is who the review committee ultimately recommends to bring in to run the Association and what impact they could have upon the next round of CBA talks. 

Kelly was considered by some hardliners within the PA as being too cozy with league commissioner Gary Bettman, but given the contentious history of labor negotiations between the league and the PA Kelly's conciliatory approach may have been a better way to go in terms of a partnership with the league. 

It's already been suggested the PA could bring in another hawkish leader like Goodenow, leading to the fear another lockout looms on the horizon. 

I suspect most players don't want that and I would guess most of the NHL team owners hope to avoid that prospect too. 

That however is for another time. Right now the NHLPA is a shadow of itself and long overdue for a suitable overhaul.