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