Bob Goodenow is a former executive director of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA). He was born on September 12, 1952, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and grew up in nearby Concord. Goodenow played college hockey at Harvard University, where he was a standout defenseman and team captain. After graduating in 1974, he played briefly in the minor leagues before attending law school at the University of Michigan.
Goodenow began his legal career in 1978 as an associate at the Toronto law firm of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt. He specialized in labor law and represented several unions, including the NHLPA. In 1990, he was hired as the NHLPA's executive director, succeeding Alan Eagleson, who had been forced to resign amid a scandal involving embezzlement and fraud.
As executive director, Goodenow was responsible for negotiating the NHLPA's collective bargaining agreements with the NHL. He was known for his tough negotiating style and his willingness to take a hard line against the league's owners. In 1994, he led the players in a 103-day strike that resulted in the cancellation of 468 games. The strike ended when a new collective bargaining agreement was reached that included a salary cap and revenue sharing.
In 2004, Goodenow led the players in another labor dispute that resulted in the cancellation of the entire 2004-05 NHL season. The dispute centered on the league's demand for a salary cap, which the players opposed. Goodenow argued that a salary cap would limit the players' earning potential and undermine their bargaining power. However, the league was able to hold out longer than the players, and a new collective bargaining agreement was eventually reached that included a salary cap.
Goodenow resigned as executive director of the NHLPA in July 2005, shortly after the new collective bargaining agreement was signed. His tenure was marked by both successes and failures. He was able to secure significant gains for the players in terms of salaries and benefits, but he was also criticized for his confrontational approach and his failure to anticipate the league's growing financial problems.
After leaving the NHLPA, Goodenow returned to private practice as a labor lawyer. He also served as a consultant to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), a professional league based in Russia. In 2012, he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the sport.
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