Last season Donald Fehr was fronting an organization of players united to make the game better for themselves and future players. Like Fehr or not, there are many even at the NHL who will admit he got the owners to give up far more than they wanted to. He managed to be a strong negotiator by simply never agreeing to any compromises and controlling the argument by appearing to be always compromising.
It was all done "for the good of the game," and I guess when it is about the business the good of the game matters, but when its about what's actually "good for the game" the NHLPA has been absent, watching from the sidelines while their members show nothing but disrespect for one another. The game is in turmoil, the players have no issue taking cheapshots at one another, possibly ending careers of their fellow NHLPA members....and yet the only peep from Fehr and those at the NHLPA is when they try to LOWER a suspension of some goon who tried to maime some star player.
Were I a player right now I would call for a special internal discussion. You can't just be a union when it suits you and the rest of the time be an anarchy.
It makes no sense. None.