Don Meehan

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Don E. Meehan is an influential NHLPA hockey player agent.

Contents

[edit] Early Career

Meehan earned his bachelor's degree at Sir George Williams University. At McGill, during his final year of law school, Meehan played for the Redmen as a wide receiver under coach Charlie Baillie.

After earning his law degree at McGill, Meehan was hired by the prominent Toronto law firm, Blaney, Pasternak. Most of the cases he originally dealt with were corporate and tax-related. The firm also had some hockey players as clientele.

[edit] Newport Sports Management

Declining the offer of a partnership from his law firm, Meehan decided in 1981 to create his own company that focused on hockey players. Named Newport Sports Management Inc. and operated in a partnership with fellow agent Pat Morris, it represents over 100 NHL players.

Instead of approaching players that are already in the NHL, Meehan approached the families of young talents before they were drafted by the NHL. One of the first young talents that Meehan was an agent for was the talented center Pat LaFontaine. LaFontaine hired Meehan a few months before he was in the 1983 NHL entry draft.

Don is the husband of Julie Meehan, and father to Ray Meehan a sports agent and Sarah Meehan a sports analyst and author.

[edit] Chris Chelios controversy

The Hockey News nicknamed Meehan the "Octopus" and ranked him third on its list of the most influential figures in the 2004-05 NHL lockout, only behind NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow, who were first and second, respectively. Meehan was listed above NHL Chief Legal Officer Bill Daly (fourth) and NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin (seventh).

It was suggested that Meehan had played an influential behind-the-scenes role in getting his players to accept the terms that ended the lockout. Chris Chelios, who denounced the new collective bargaining agreement, accused Meehan of undercutting the union and supporting Saskin, who has since been removed as NHLPA executive director.[1][2]


[edit] Current NHL clients

[edit] Retired NHL Clients

[edit] Other Notable Clients

[edit] See Also

[edit] References

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