Hockey Hall of Fame Hot Stove Sessions:
Addressing the challenges facing the hockey world.

Four concurrent sessions each to include a moderator and a panel of speakers. The complete list for each grouping continues to evolve. The list below reflects the current thinking of the Steering Committee but is dependent on the availability of all personnel listed.

Session Titles:
1. Contracts and Transfers
2. Agents’ Role in Working with Young Players
3. State of the Game
4. Comparisons of the International and North American Game

SESSION 1:
CONTRACTS AND TRANSFERS

Rene Fasel couldn’t have pout things more aptly. “Fifty per cent of something is better than 100% of nothing.” This philosophy is one being adopted more and more by European leagues such that a new PTA seems like “when” not “if” any longer. » more

Main reason for choosing this topic:
Contract and transfer disputes, mainly between the National Hockey League and the Kontinental Hockey League, have made main headlines since the Radulov -case. This prompted the IIHF to rewrite its transfer regulations in 2009 to prevent such cases. The absence of a collective transfer agreement between the NHL and the IIHF affiliated leagues creates many challenges for the player movement process at the senior levels of the game.

Moderator: Bob McKenzie

Panelists
• Rene Fasel, IIHF - President
• Bill Daly, NHL – Deputy Commissioner
• Vyacheslav Fetisov, KHL – Chairman of the Board
• Roman Stoykewych, NHLPA – Senior Legal Counsel

SESSION 2: AGENTS' ROLE IN
WORKING WITH YOUNG PLAYERS

Player agents do more good than harm was the consensus among Brian Burke, Don Meehan, and Pat Brisson, the third group to pass through the Great Hall at the Hockey Hall of Fame on opening night of the Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit. » more

Main reason for choosing this topic:
Most European federations, leagues and clubs feel that agents lure young players from their junior clubs and make them available for CHL clubs. This in turn depletes the European system any many of those European players may not develop in the CHL. There is a general feeling that some agents misinform the players and parents and receive money from the CHL for the transfers.

Moderator: Jim Hughson

Panelists:
• Pat Brisson, NHLPA Agent
• Don Meehan, NHLPA Agent
• Brian Burke, NHL – General Manager, Toronto Maple Leafs

SESSION 3:
STATE Of THE GAME

Growing the game was the subject of the second Hot Stove Session at the Hockey Hall of Fame on opening night of the Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit, and the guest speakers spoke in unison on one matter—the building of arenas. » more

Main reason for choosing this topic:
North American and International hockey are currently engaged in similar discussions about the game – should we target new markets or countries for growth or should we first take care of business where hockey is popular? Often the discussion in the National Hockey League is about Canadian cities vs. the U.S. market place. While the IIHF isn’t sure what to target; deal with developmental challenges in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany or try to establish hockey in Spain, Great Britain or Greece. Where should we go?

Moderator: Greg Millen

Panelists:
• Steve Yzerman, NHL – General Manager, Tampa Bay Lightening
• Don Baizley, NHLPA Agent
• Hayley Wickenheiser, Canada’s National Women’s Team - Player
• Uwe Krupp, German Men’s National Team - Head Coach

SESSION 4: COMPARISON OF THE NORTH AMERICAN AND
INTERNATIONAL GAME

Daniel Alfredsson is perhaps the perfect spokesman for a talk about the NHL versus Europe... » more

Main reason for choosing this topic:
In the wake of the Vancouver Olympic competition conducted on North American ice surface, age old questions have been raised. What game is better for the fans? Is the international ice surface more conducive to a skating and passing game? How do the fans describe the game played on the smaller ice surface?

Moderator: Paul Romanuk

Panelists:
• Bob McCown, Prime Time Sports – Program Host
• Glenn Healy, CBC – Sport Commentator
• Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators - Player