Arlo Goodwin Honored at PHPA Annual Meeting

By Darryl Dionne  Published on: Monday July 26, 2010

(Niagara Falls, ON) Arlo Goodwin was honored at the Professional Hockey Players’ Association’s Annual Meeting of Player Representatives, Saturday, June 19, 2010, as the 2010 recipient of the Curt Leichner Distinguished Member Award.

The award, named after former PHPA Executive Director, Curt Leichner, is awarded annually to a Member of the hockey community who has made significant contributions towards the advancement of professional minor league hockey, and has continued to diligently serve the sport.

Goodwin, who played the majority of his professional hockey career in the now defunct WHL (Western Hockey League), was one of the first PHPA Player Representatives in 1967, and played a major role in the formation of the PHPA, along with Doug Messier and their Portland Buckaroos teammates. He retired from professional hockey the following season, and soon thereafter, became the Insurance Agent for the PHPA, as he understood Canada’s socialized health care system, and was able to integrate it with the US system, benefiting many Canadian-born players who were playing hockey in the US. During his tenure with the PHPA, he played a key role in the unionization of the former International Hockey League (IHL), securing signatures from close to 100% of IHL players, which was a requirement of the National Labor Relations Board.

“Arlo was instrumental in the formative years of the Association as one of the first PHPA Player Representatives and remained involved with the Association for over 25 years after his retirement from hockey,” said PHPA Executive Director Larry Landon. “This is a well-deserved honor for Arlo given everything that he did over his many years for the PHPA, it’s Members, and their families. This was evident by being selected unanimously by the PHPA Executive Committee for this award.”

Goodwin, whose introduction included congratulatory remarks from Larry Landon, as well as former PHPA Members Darcy Regier, General Manager of the Buffalo Sabres, and Don Nachbaur, Head Coach of the Binghamton Senators, later addressed the crowd of Player Representatives, special guests, as well as his wife Sally who were in attendance at the Regal Sun Resort, in Orlando Florida. “I have many fond memories from my involvement with the PHPA, and I am so proud of how far the Association has come. I still keep in touch with many former teammates and other PHPA Members, some whom tell me that they still draw a pension through the PHPA’s pension program which we started in the late 1960’s. I encourage all players to be smart with the money you earn while playing hockey. It will eventually pay off for you down the line when your hockey career is over.”

Previous winners of the Award include Doug Messier (2008) and the tandem of Don Cherry and Ron MacLean (2009).

Since its inception in 1967, the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) has continued to serve as an advocate of player interests. Currently, the PHPA is the certified, U.S. National Labor Relations Board collective bargaining representative for over 1,500 players on 67 teams in the American Hockey League, ECHL, and Central Hockey League.