It’s that time again when we take a look at what’s been happening in hockey’s business and legal world. Once a week we cover the big and not so big stories in this arena. We also include a featured story of the period. Let’s take a look at what has been happening this period.
Hockey’s Business and Legal News
Hazing Lawsuit Moving Forward Against the QMJHL and Its Member Teams
A Quebec Superior Court ruled that a hazing lawsuit brought against the QMJHL, its member teams, and the CHL may move forward as a class action lawsuit. This is yet another example of a former player coming forward about alleged hazing and abuse against a hockey league. While this lawsuit is specific in its facts, it more or less alleges similar claims brought in previous hazing lawsuits such as the one in 2020 brought by former NHLer Daniel Carcillo. We covered that lawsuit in detail in a two-part article here and here. For any lawsuit brought as a class action, a judge has to approve the certification of the class. The parties may not argue the merits of this case for a while, but it will move forward.
Quebec Superior Court has authorized a class-action lawsuit against the QMJHL and its teams over alleged hazing abuse. The lawsuit of more than $15M was filed by Carl Latulippe, who went public with alleged abuse suffered while playing in the mid-1990s: https://t.co/ubUNoYy05D
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) April 10, 2024
NHL NHLPA 4 Nations Tournament Locations Reportedly Named
As we covered in a previous hockey’s business and legal updates article, the NHL and NHLPA agreed to a 4 Nations Faceoff Tournament to be held in 2025 (in lieu of a World Cup of Hockey for that year). With the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland participating it was announced that it would have a Canadian and U.S. location. Those will reportedly be Boston and Montreal.
Expect #NHL and #NHLPA to confirm in the near future that Montréal and Boston are the two host cities of the 4 Nations Faceoff, as previously reported.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) April 12, 2024
Feb. 12-20, 2025
Canada, Finland, Sweden, United States
🇨🇦🇫🇮🇸🇪🇺🇸
Can’t wait.
Team USA Assistants Named
Speaking of the 4 Nations Tournament, Team USA named Chris Drury, Tom Fitzgerald, and Bill Zito as assistant general managers to Bill Guerin. They will also serve as assistant GMs for Team USA in the 2026 Olympics. Additionally, Chris Kelleher will be the director of player personnel.
Team USA's management staff is finalized for the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off & the 2026 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team!
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) April 12, 2024
Chris Drury, Tom Fitzgerald & Bill Zito will serve as assistant general managers, while Chris Kelleher will serve as director of player personnel for Team USA.
Hockey’s Business and Legal Headlines Featured Story: The Arizona Coyotes are on the Move to Salt Lake City
In this period’s hockey’s business and legal updates featured story we take a look at a huge update in the NHL. We have all seen numerous rumors over and over about both the Arizona Coyotes struggles and Salt Lake City’s strong push to get an NHL team. Now, both have come to a head. What started as reports and “likelihoods” throughout the week ended with the news that the Coyotes will officially be moving to Salt Lake City, Utah next season.
The Deal
This deal will involve a sale to Ryan Smith’s group with the normal buy-sell and relocation requirements we previously covered in a three-part article here (Part III with links to Parts I and II). But this deal has some interesting ancillary aspects. For example, the NHL is reportedly giving Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo the right to get an NHL expansion team IF an NHL size arena is built within five years. The sale has a reported price tag of $1 billion. It also features an arrangement where the NHL will buy the team and then turn around and sell it to Smith’s group.
It’s another major move in the NHL that comes not entirely as a surprise. The NHL has a commitment to Arizona, as seen by the long leash on them securing an arena as well as the expansion guarantee. But the reality is that the Coyotes, as currently operating, is not sustainable. With a more than willing buyer, the move came to fruition. It is important to think about the wide impact of this type of move as players, staff, and families all feel the effects. It’s part of the business but not always an enjoyable one. The parties will reportedly close the deal this upcoming week.
Coyotes sale expected within week, Arizona to get NHL expansion team: reporthttps://t.co/2cltYrzYGQ
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) April 14, 2024
Post image attribution by: Supertoff, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
