Not to dump on Wharnsby or his sources, but is it possible that this allegation is nothing but a rumour floated out by someone connected with the NHLPA to help make what looks like a crazy decision to fire Kelly look somewhat justifiable?

Given the past behaviour of the NHLPA and who they are associating with now, I’m willing to believe just about anything until (if?) we finally get some real answers about just what the heck is going on here.

It seems to me though that this particular charge is largely irrelevant – even if correct. Obviously, there were already different concerns about Kelly’s leadership – since that was the main topic of the Las Vegas meeting. Since Kelly could not have looked through the minutes of that confidential meeting until after it occurred, it stands to reason that his supposed snooping could not have been the driving reason behind his dismissal.

It was interesting to watch Ian Penny direct attention to those allegations today – accusing Glenn Healy of trying to “deflect attention” from them via his resignation letter.

It’s also interesting that Penny fired Kevin Lovitt, the NHLPA’s director of corporate sponsorships. Given Healy’s letter, I wonder how much corporate sponsorship had to do with the termination.

Also, Kelly’s denying the allegations.

The players want a hawk, not a dove, in the upcoming negotiations. Kelly wasn’t confrontational enough to suit those players paying attention. You know the cap-evading long term deals are going to be issue #1, with the players and richer teams saying they work just fine…

Gotta love him though. Once again our dear friend Jeremy Roenick has lashed out at the NHLPA and it’s board members calling the way the proceedings of NHLPA’s Executive Director’s firing "Chicken Shit" in an interview on Leafs Lunch on AM 640 with Darren Dreger and Bill Waters, were he would also add "…the education of those players are going to be very low, I would say most of them have high-shool educations not college educations and not to put athlete’s down but they’re not the brightest bulbs in the box. So um…with that being said they really are influenced by the smarter people, the lawyers, by the people who have gone to college who seem to be the guys who wear the suits and ties- the smart people. That’s who the hockey players look at and they put they’re faith in and sometimes they shouldn’t do that. Our PA continues to make a mockery of itself!"
Nice to know that even in retirement J.R. is still up to the task when called upon to provide a colourful quote. Telling it like it is-J.R. style.