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Game Misconduct: Alan Eagleson and the Corruption of Hockey
Book by CONWAY, RUSS
286 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 9, 2020
This book was so interesting. Every hockey fan should read it! I had no idea the level of fraud and corruption by Alan Eagleson as leader of the NHLPA but the NHL, Owners and many famous Canadians such as Prime Ministers, journalists, local politicians, building inspectors, the RCMP.
Eagleson was a tyrant and a slimy person. He promised many things such as pension plans and insurance payments to injured players. He would say one thing and do the opposite, as long as it was in his favor. He was a conniving person with no regard for the players he represented.
He was indicted for repeatedly lying to NHLPA members to conceal his illegal activities to keep his job as executive director of the union. He worked as a player agent and the head of the player’s union. He would work harder for a player he represented as his got an income off them directly where other players he did not. Even still, he took advantage of everyone. Most notably Bobby Orr. Orr’s contract with Boston was coming due and he wanted to play the rest of his career with Boston. That is what Boston wanted too. Eagleson lied and manipulated Orr in thinking that Boston did not want him and was not offering a contract that showed his worth. Eventually, Orr left and signed a contract with Chicago *before his current contract was up* (which is illegal). Eagleson pushed Orr to go to his friend Bill Wirtz’s team even though Boston was offering a player an 18.5% stake in the Boston Bruins team! Orr never knew of the offer and they parted on bitter terms.
Eagleson fraudulently charged former NHL players to process their career-ending disability insurance. He paid himself hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts, fees and kickbacks, violated many labour laws, stole money from taxpayer funded Hockey Canada and events like the Canada Cup. He diverted funds from player pensions for personal use such as personal travel for himself, friends and family around the world, or for purchasing houses in North America and England. He billed players for fees on services that he was already obligated to provide.
Players would be entitled to a certain insurance payment but he would only pay out around half of what they were entitled to and then charge them a fee on top of that to collect what they were rightfully owed. He cut off insurance payments to players once found out their child had a medical issue that could be costly such as cerebral palsy. There was a secret insurance company created by the NHL called Ice that was based in an offshore account that none of the players knew about.
He was solely in charge of many player's incomes. Players completely trusted him and their main concern was playing hockey. It was not until after hockey when many were broke that they realized what he had done. He took their money and loaned out to his friends for years with no repercussions if they didn't pay back and at no interest rate. Eagleson permitted John Ziegler, President of the NHL, to be arbitrator in disputes. Which is an obvious conflict of interest seeing as Ziegler was paid by the NHL. He wined and dined friends on the dime of NHL players. Buying things like caviar for his friends at a cost of $2000 for one dinner. He used more than $100,000 worth of suits on himself over six years when they were supposed to be used for outfitting Team Canada players.
NHL owners saved millions in player salaries. Owners received money from the Canada Cup to offset their player pension contributions. Money from the Canada Cup was supposed to go towards players pensions but a very minimal amount, if any, actually did. The money went to the Owners and Eagleson.
Bobby Orr’s, considered one of the greatest hockey players, had a pension of $8,400 annually (and was screwed out of an 18.5% ownership stake in the Bruins). Gordie Howe played for 26 years and received less than $14,000 a year. Jean Ratelle played 21 years and received a pension of $12,924 annually. Milt Schmidt played 16 years and received $5,800. Maurice Richard played for 18 years and received $7,200. Tod Sloan played for 13 years and received $4,176. Linesmen George Hayes reffed 1704 NHL games over 19 years and received an annual pension of $1,032 (which they took as a monthly payment of $16.98 to screw with the NHL as they figured it would be more of an effort to pay out monthly payments). The US poverty level was $6,624 which the majority of NHL pensions did not meet.
Eagleson worked to merge the World Hockey Association and the NHL together because it benefited the NHL owners and very negativity affected the players as it created a monopoly. Players had less teams to play for also.
The NHL even sued Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe in 1991 for speaking out against the league.
The NHL pitted players against each other too. Salaries were all kept secret so players did not know the market or what they should receive for a salary. But Eagleson knew majority of the salaries as he represented most of the players and was able to use that to his advantage. He was against salaries being public as it made a level playing field for other agents and players asked for a better salary. Former players were pitted against current players too. Current players were told that former players were trying to steal money from them when the NHL was using former player money to pay current players. It was eventually found out as Brett Hull asked his father Bobby why they wanted to steal their money.
Eagleson was a powerful person in Canada which might have been one of the reasons why the RCMP were uninterested in prosecuting or investigating the situation. The reason the story even came out was because of an American journalist who produced a series of articles that was supposed to last a couple months but had so much material to cover that the articles ran for a few years. When the RCMP Commissioner was asked why Eagleson was not being investigated he said "It's been so long since I headed a fraud investigation, I've forgotten how to". Good thing that the US were more involved and the FBI was already investigating. Eagleson used his influence to get projects awarded to his friends businesses by the Conservative government (Mulroney). Millions of taxpayers money ($169 million) had been steered projects that were written off due to bad loans. When the RCMP reluctantly charged Eagleson with 8 counts of fraud, Eagleson's lawyer had released a statement about the charges before the RCMP had even announced them. The RCMP even had Eagleson’s brother in law (and partner to many of Eagleson’s companies) working on the investigation.
A group of former players who represented more than 1,200 NHLPA members sued Eagleson, Ziegler, NHL Chairman Bill Wirtz (also owner of Chicago Blackhawks), and 21 NHL Teams, Director of Hockey Canada, and other friends of Eagleson he colluded with such as Air Canada.
Eagleson intimidated and threatened witnesses that were to speak against him in trial. He hid from his charges for years but insisted he did nothing wrong. He was known for trying to mislead situations and lie with documents and in his testimony. He would try to bury people that opposed him by using money and power so that they weren't able to fight back without going into further financial ruin or having their reputation dragged through the mud.
In 1996, the Supreme Court of Canada determined that $41 million of misallocated pension money was to be returned to the players. The money was shared between 1,343 former NHL players. Salaries of players in this time were before the huge salaries of today. Many players were awarded amounts in the six figures. Pensions increased per year by $1,000-10,00. Some player’s found their pensions doubled in worth.
Gordie Howe was to receive $205,342. (His original pension after 26 years was under $14,000 CAD).
Johnny Bucyk was to receive $194,194.
Gump Worsley was to receive $189,174.
Henri Richard was to receive $153,563.
Stan Mikita was to receive $165,084.
When Eagleson was running the Canada Cup, ‘expenses’ took up $0.70 of every dollar in revenue. After he stopped running it, expenses were $0.42 for every dollar made. At the same time, travel and accommodations for the players were greatly upgraded. Players travelled by business class or private charter and stayed in first class hotels. With Eagleson running the tournaments there was barely any revenue paid to the players. Now they were splitting the profits with the NHL and each received $7.4million.
The US wanted Eagleson to serve a prison term and pay at least $1 million in fines. His lawyers wanted to be able to pay any fines ordered to him out of the $50,000 USD / year (guaranteed) pension he gave himself. (To put that into perspective, players did not have guaranteed pensions as directed by Eagleson and most were paid in Canadian amounts). Eagleson was told in no uncertain terms that he would not be able to pay restitution with money he got caught stealing from the victims.
Eagleson did not serve the punishment he should have. He had the help of his friends in high places to get a deal of only a few months of jail after being sentenced to 18 months. He has no remorse and still shows up at the rinks of his NHL Owner friends. He was stripped of his role with NHLPA and removed from the Hall of Fame. He was convicted of fraud in two countries and of embezzling funds in Canada.
Russ Conway was shortlisted for a Pulitzer for his work on this story. He has recently passed away but was a greatly respected sports journalist.
Eagleson was a tyrant and a slimy person. He promised many things such as pension plans and insurance payments to injured players. He would say one thing and do the opposite, as long as it was in his favor. He was a conniving person with no regard for the players he represented.
He was indicted for repeatedly lying to NHLPA members to conceal his illegal activities to keep his job as executive director of the union. He worked as a player agent and the head of the player’s union. He would work harder for a player he represented as his got an income off them directly where other players he did not. Even still, he took advantage of everyone. Most notably Bobby Orr. Orr’s contract with Boston was coming due and he wanted to play the rest of his career with Boston. That is what Boston wanted too. Eagleson lied and manipulated Orr in thinking that Boston did not want him and was not offering a contract that showed his worth. Eventually, Orr left and signed a contract with Chicago *before his current contract was up* (which is illegal). Eagleson pushed Orr to go to his friend Bill Wirtz’s team even though Boston was offering a player an 18.5% stake in the Boston Bruins team! Orr never knew of the offer and they parted on bitter terms.
Eagleson fraudulently charged former NHL players to process their career-ending disability insurance. He paid himself hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts, fees and kickbacks, violated many labour laws, stole money from taxpayer funded Hockey Canada and events like the Canada Cup. He diverted funds from player pensions for personal use such as personal travel for himself, friends and family around the world, or for purchasing houses in North America and England. He billed players for fees on services that he was already obligated to provide.
Players would be entitled to a certain insurance payment but he would only pay out around half of what they were entitled to and then charge them a fee on top of that to collect what they were rightfully owed. He cut off insurance payments to players once found out their child had a medical issue that could be costly such as cerebral palsy. There was a secret insurance company created by the NHL called Ice that was based in an offshore account that none of the players knew about.
He was solely in charge of many player's incomes. Players completely trusted him and their main concern was playing hockey. It was not until after hockey when many were broke that they realized what he had done. He took their money and loaned out to his friends for years with no repercussions if they didn't pay back and at no interest rate. Eagleson permitted John Ziegler, President of the NHL, to be arbitrator in disputes. Which is an obvious conflict of interest seeing as Ziegler was paid by the NHL. He wined and dined friends on the dime of NHL players. Buying things like caviar for his friends at a cost of $2000 for one dinner. He used more than $100,000 worth of suits on himself over six years when they were supposed to be used for outfitting Team Canada players.
NHL owners saved millions in player salaries. Owners received money from the Canada Cup to offset their player pension contributions. Money from the Canada Cup was supposed to go towards players pensions but a very minimal amount, if any, actually did. The money went to the Owners and Eagleson.
Bobby Orr’s, considered one of the greatest hockey players, had a pension of $8,400 annually (and was screwed out of an 18.5% ownership stake in the Bruins). Gordie Howe played for 26 years and received less than $14,000 a year. Jean Ratelle played 21 years and received a pension of $12,924 annually. Milt Schmidt played 16 years and received $5,800. Maurice Richard played for 18 years and received $7,200. Tod Sloan played for 13 years and received $4,176. Linesmen George Hayes reffed 1704 NHL games over 19 years and received an annual pension of $1,032 (which they took as a monthly payment of $16.98 to screw with the NHL as they figured it would be more of an effort to pay out monthly payments). The US poverty level was $6,624 which the majority of NHL pensions did not meet.
Eagleson worked to merge the World Hockey Association and the NHL together because it benefited the NHL owners and very negativity affected the players as it created a monopoly. Players had less teams to play for also.
The NHL even sued Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe in 1991 for speaking out against the league.
The NHL pitted players against each other too. Salaries were all kept secret so players did not know the market or what they should receive for a salary. But Eagleson knew majority of the salaries as he represented most of the players and was able to use that to his advantage. He was against salaries being public as it made a level playing field for other agents and players asked for a better salary. Former players were pitted against current players too. Current players were told that former players were trying to steal money from them when the NHL was using former player money to pay current players. It was eventually found out as Brett Hull asked his father Bobby why they wanted to steal their money.
Eagleson was a powerful person in Canada which might have been one of the reasons why the RCMP were uninterested in prosecuting or investigating the situation. The reason the story even came out was because of an American journalist who produced a series of articles that was supposed to last a couple months but had so much material to cover that the articles ran for a few years. When the RCMP Commissioner was asked why Eagleson was not being investigated he said "It's been so long since I headed a fraud investigation, I've forgotten how to". Good thing that the US were more involved and the FBI was already investigating. Eagleson used his influence to get projects awarded to his friends businesses by the Conservative government (Mulroney). Millions of taxpayers money ($169 million) had been steered projects that were written off due to bad loans. When the RCMP reluctantly charged Eagleson with 8 counts of fraud, Eagleson's lawyer had released a statement about the charges before the RCMP had even announced them. The RCMP even had Eagleson’s brother in law (and partner to many of Eagleson’s companies) working on the investigation.
A group of former players who represented more than 1,200 NHLPA members sued Eagleson, Ziegler, NHL Chairman Bill Wirtz (also owner of Chicago Blackhawks), and 21 NHL Teams, Director of Hockey Canada, and other friends of Eagleson he colluded with such as Air Canada.
Eagleson intimidated and threatened witnesses that were to speak against him in trial. He hid from his charges for years but insisted he did nothing wrong. He was known for trying to mislead situations and lie with documents and in his testimony. He would try to bury people that opposed him by using money and power so that they weren't able to fight back without going into further financial ruin or having their reputation dragged through the mud.
In 1996, the Supreme Court of Canada determined that $41 million of misallocated pension money was to be returned to the players. The money was shared between 1,343 former NHL players. Salaries of players in this time were before the huge salaries of today. Many players were awarded amounts in the six figures. Pensions increased per year by $1,000-10,00. Some player’s found their pensions doubled in worth.
Gordie Howe was to receive $205,342. (His original pension after 26 years was under $14,000 CAD).
Johnny Bucyk was to receive $194,194.
Gump Worsley was to receive $189,174.
Henri Richard was to receive $153,563.
Stan Mikita was to receive $165,084.
When Eagleson was running the Canada Cup, ‘expenses’ took up $0.70 of every dollar in revenue. After he stopped running it, expenses were $0.42 for every dollar made. At the same time, travel and accommodations for the players were greatly upgraded. Players travelled by business class or private charter and stayed in first class hotels. With Eagleson running the tournaments there was barely any revenue paid to the players. Now they were splitting the profits with the NHL and each received $7.4million.
The US wanted Eagleson to serve a prison term and pay at least $1 million in fines. His lawyers wanted to be able to pay any fines ordered to him out of the $50,000 USD / year (guaranteed) pension he gave himself. (To put that into perspective, players did not have guaranteed pensions as directed by Eagleson and most were paid in Canadian amounts). Eagleson was told in no uncertain terms that he would not be able to pay restitution with money he got caught stealing from the victims.
Eagleson did not serve the punishment he should have. He had the help of his friends in high places to get a deal of only a few months of jail after being sentenced to 18 months. He has no remorse and still shows up at the rinks of his NHL Owner friends. He was stripped of his role with NHLPA and removed from the Hall of Fame. He was convicted of fraud in two countries and of embezzling funds in Canada.
Russ Conway was shortlisted for a Pulitzer for his work on this story. He has recently passed away but was a greatly respected sports journalist.
March 5, 2015
Journalist Russ Conway's investigation into now-disbarred Canadian attorney/ice hockey promoter/political power broker/player agent/real estate speculator/colossal egoist R. Alan Eagleson is a revelation in hubris and corruption. After insinuating himself into the financial affairs of many National Hockey League players between the mid 1960s and the early 1990s as both an agent and as the founder/head of the NHL Players' Association, Eagleson is revealed to be a consummate grifter who: defrauded many players of their pension and disability benefits; "invested" their personal funds and those of the Players' Association in personal projects to the advantage of himself and his associates, with little or no return to the players or PA that made the loans; colluded with league and team owners in suppressing free agency and sabotaging the rival World Hockey Association, and also in reducing management's contributions to the pension fund; tampered with contract negotiations by withholding or misrepresenting offers to his clients, most notoriously Bobby Orr; creatively billed his clients multiple times for standard agent services; and in short never let a conflict of interest or a consideration of legal ethics prevent him from pursuing a lucrative scheme.
Eagleson has his defenders, even among former players. I'd love to know what their rationale is, when they are well aware that many of their peers and former teammates are subsisting on pitiably small pensions (most well under $15,000 USD per year) thanks to Eagleson's skimming and misrepresentation of benefits. The evidence against Eagleson is overwhelming; he has been convicted of fraud, embezzlement, and other offenses in the U.S. and Canada. A fine, even one in the upper six figures, and a prison term of a few months seems a pitifully small price to pay for having cheated 2 generations of players of security in retirement, depriving others of disability and health insurance benefits, and contributing substantially to the most toxic ownership-player association relationship in pro sports. Oh, right, and Eagleson was kicked out of the Order of Canada and the Hockey Hall of Fame – a nice gesture of renunciation, but it doesn't help those retired guys pay the bills.
I found this book depressing, even stomach-turning. The good ol' boys network in Canada was fully in the service of Eagleson throughout the latter part of his lurid career - from the media, to the RCMP, to some of the most powerful political figures on the local (Toronto/Ontario) and national stage. Canadian hockey players and their agents were voicing complaints about his autocratic mismanagement to Canadian law enforcement since the mid-1980s. Perhaps predictably, Eagleson exuded nothing but contempt for dissenters, and even for players who had other agents. (Ultimately, even for some of his own clients.) It should not have taken the persistence of an American reporter in the early 1990s, and dogged investigation by the FBI, to hinder, and ultimately to uncover, the seemingly boundless schemes of this quintessential con man. Someone north of the border turned a willfully blind eye on his abuses for far too long, compounding the financial distress endured by hundreds of players who played and retired during his ethically bereft reign. That indifference, or unwillingness to challenge a powerful and charismatic figure, seems nearly as much a crime as any of the scams that Eagleson concocted.
Eagleson has his defenders, even among former players. I'd love to know what their rationale is, when they are well aware that many of their peers and former teammates are subsisting on pitiably small pensions (most well under $15,000 USD per year) thanks to Eagleson's skimming and misrepresentation of benefits. The evidence against Eagleson is overwhelming; he has been convicted of fraud, embezzlement, and other offenses in the U.S. and Canada. A fine, even one in the upper six figures, and a prison term of a few months seems a pitifully small price to pay for having cheated 2 generations of players of security in retirement, depriving others of disability and health insurance benefits, and contributing substantially to the most toxic ownership-player association relationship in pro sports. Oh, right, and Eagleson was kicked out of the Order of Canada and the Hockey Hall of Fame – a nice gesture of renunciation, but it doesn't help those retired guys pay the bills.
I found this book depressing, even stomach-turning. The good ol' boys network in Canada was fully in the service of Eagleson throughout the latter part of his lurid career - from the media, to the RCMP, to some of the most powerful political figures on the local (Toronto/Ontario) and national stage. Canadian hockey players and their agents were voicing complaints about his autocratic mismanagement to Canadian law enforcement since the mid-1980s. Perhaps predictably, Eagleson exuded nothing but contempt for dissenters, and even for players who had other agents. (Ultimately, even for some of his own clients.) It should not have taken the persistence of an American reporter in the early 1990s, and dogged investigation by the FBI, to hinder, and ultimately to uncover, the seemingly boundless schemes of this quintessential con man. Someone north of the border turned a willfully blind eye on his abuses for far too long, compounding the financial distress endured by hundreds of players who played and retired during his ethically bereft reign. That indifference, or unwillingness to challenge a powerful and charismatic figure, seems nearly as much a crime as any of the scams that Eagleson concocted.
April 28, 2008
If you wonder why there is a more-than-contentious relationship between NHL players and the league, and a fraught relationship between the players and their own union, read this scathing indictment of the NHLPA's years under R. Alan Eagleson.
December 29, 2022
read this for my podcast — russ conway’s journalism here is fucking incredible! it’s cool to read this story because he’s actively a part of it. a longtime friend of many players on the boston bruins from his sports reporting days, he decided to spend 5 fuckin years of his life tracking the corrupt roots of the nhlpa. truly if this book didnt happen, a guy wouldnt have gone to prison. NUTS! solid rec
February 20, 2018
An exhaustive investigation into the corruption of the former head of the NHL Players Association. A fascinating, as well as disgusting, read on what a person will do for greed. Conway does a great job laying out the facts and figures that brought down an empire that straddled two countries. I might add, that this was not the finest moment for the RCMP.
January 11, 2019
A stellar bit of investigative journalism that holds up all these years later. As an aside, I wonder if/how Conway would reevaluate his opinion re: the “enlightened administration” (266) of still-commissioner Gary Bettman.
September 13, 2020
Enough financial shenanigans to make your head spin! Game Misconduct was a hugely important book and Russ Conway was instrumental in helping bring down Alan Eagleson. Fascinating and well written. Unfortunately it was published before the final parts of the Eagleson story could be told.
August 3, 2023
Great research and book by Ross Conway on the biggest crook in hockey history. MUST READ! 📚
November 18, 2021
Anyone that follows hockey has heard of Alan Eagleson, the Former head of the NHLPA who used player money as his own personal slush fund. But until I read this book, I had no idea of the scope of his criminal behavior. The man was a stone sociopath—a financial wizard to be sure, but a sociopath—and the wreckage he left behind is simply staggering.
I wont pretend I understood all—or even most—-of this, because the financial details were byzantine and confusing. But the reader doesnt need a degree in finance to get the picture. Eagleson and his cronies were looting the union funds to the tune of millions (back in the 80s and early nineties), plundering pension and disability monies at will.
If nothing else, Game Misconduct is a cautionary tale about the consequences of not knowing where your money is.
I wont pretend I understood all—or even most—-of this, because the financial details were byzantine and confusing. But the reader doesnt need a degree in finance to get the picture. Eagleson and his cronies were looting the union funds to the tune of millions (back in the 80s and early nineties), plundering pension and disability monies at will.
If nothing else, Game Misconduct is a cautionary tale about the consequences of not knowing where your money is.
May 25, 2012
This was a masterpiece of investigative journalism and a ferocity for finding the truth. The players in the NHL gave their healthy bodies up for a pittance and were robbed and pilfered throughout. This is a book worthy of a pulitzer prize.
August 3, 2015
Well-written and compelling. It's overloaded with financial details, some of which are repetitive and/or bewildering, but creates a compelling and appalling case. It would be interesting to read an update on where things stand for Eagleson and other major players now.
February 11, 2025
Review for Game Misconduct can be found on Hockey Blog In Canada.
April 30, 2016
Alan Eagleson. The most hated man in hockey ... a man who betrayed Bobby Orr. It's all here. Conway uncovered everything and put it all together.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews