Allan Walsh joins the second major agent revolt to demand a mandatory fix for the NHL safety process
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Judd Moldaver called the Gudas suspension laughable. Now Allan Walsh has joined him demanding Parros be replaced as Head of Player Safety. When two of the NHL's most powerful agents say start over the league needs to pay attention.
When Auston Matthews went down thanks to a dirty knee from Radko Gudas, the league decided five games was enough punishment and it set off a firestorm of media personalities, players, and agents fighting back against yet another minor slap on the wrist.
Matthews' agent Judd Moldaver gave a scathing review of the system and genuinely called the decision 'laughable and preposterous' and ended saying the whole department should be put on a big timeout.
A second major agent challenge this week highlights a mandatory shift in the league's power dynamics
But he's not the only player agent joining in the conversation, as Allan Walsh has taken to social media to fire back against George Parros, and as arguably the most public-facing and vocal agent around - he didn't hold back:
Parros and his group have brought us to this point. We need to start over with a new process, new people and clearly delineated guidelines.
No one knows whether a hit is a 2 game suspension or minor penalty. The fans/media are fed up and players brains are not being protected.
No one knows whether a hit is a 2 game suspension or minor penalty. The fans/media are fed up and players brains are not being protected.
It's as blunt as can be. Parros is not protecting players from serious career and life-changing injuries, and his complete lack of transparency or consistency has finally broken the NHL.
When Connor McDavid wants to start a player's union, and agents are calling for justice; not to mention the plethora of fans who are fed up with this from all over the NHL and you have one critical issue: It's the Player Safety Department themselves.
Learning how agent pressure can help influence change
But Walsh, much in the vein of McDavid wants to see some change that involves the players especially with their safety on the line. It's less about going off some archaic rulings and figuring out a new guideline to follow.
There needs to be mandatory sentencing for certain offences such as headshots and direct kneeing with intent to injure. Those can't be on a case by case basis, and it has to come with a big punishment to deter players from committing them.
For example, an incident like Gudas', where there's history and a clear intent to injure, there needs to be punishing levels of discipline. That warrants at least a 15 or 20-game ban, and the historical aspect needs to be prioritized.
Plus, you have to remember the financial incentive too. Agents get paid from their players, and if they aren't playing, they don't get paid so to speak.
Like, if Auston Matthews had his career ended tomorrow; Moldaver just loses one of his top assets and a lot of future money. There's a personal aspect to this too and it's why agents want to see their players protected a lot better.
When your star players aren't properly protected and the message sent is you can do what you want and we'll figure it out later - what does that later actually entail? A phone hearing gives one TO five games; Gudas could have gotten one had Parros had his way and that's not right.
If the NHL truly wants to start protecting their players, then maybe the best course of action to start is by taking out Parros; someone who clearly isn't interested in their health - and start over fresh.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
The Maple Leafs just pulled a classic Toronto move by winning a game they arguably needed to lose
The Maple Leafs just pulled a classic Toronto move by winning a game they arguably needed to lose
| POLL | ||
MARS 16|681 ANSWERS Allan Walsh joins the second major agent revolt to demand a mandatory fix for the NHL safety process Does the NHL need a new guideline for how they handle discipline and player safety? | ||
| Yes | 658 | 96.6 % |
| No | 23 | 3.4 % |
| List of polls | ||