Bryant McBride, a Boston-based agent and marketing rep, is the player representantive who has been de-certified by the NHLPA, TSN has learned.
NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow told agents attending an association meeting this week in Chicago that an unnamed agent had been decertified for leaking information from the NHLPA's secure website to a newspaper reporter in Minneapolis. While the NHLPA has not released the name of the individual, McBride's name has been removed from the NHLPA's list of certified agents. Multiple sources have confirmed that Goodenow met with McBride on Tuesday night in Chicago and hand delivered to him written notification that he was being de-certified as an NHLPA agent and was not welcome to attend the meeting of agents on Wednesday.
When contacted by TSN on Friday afternoon, McBride acknowledged the de-certification, but said there is much more to the story than meets the eye.
"It has come to my attention that over the past month an ex-employee (of mine) shared confidential NHLPA information with a member of the media," McBride told TSN. "I understand and respect the NHLPA's position on this matter and we are working closely with the NHLPA to resolve the matter quickly."
Sources say while the NHLPA has proof that the leak came from McBride's office, those who know McBride say it wasn't him and he will be working to clear his own name and attempt to regain his certification.
When contacted by TSN, an NHLPA spokesman said the association has no comment on the McBride issue but did say there is a review process for decertified agents.
McBride is a 39-year-old native of Chicago who grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. He attended both West Point and Harvard and worked for almost eight years as an NHL vice president of business development, who started up the NHL's diversity task force.
In addition to Jason Allison, McBride's other NHL clients include netminder Byron Dafoe, forward Doug Doull and defenceman Garnett Exelby, as well as several minor league players. McBride is not particularly active in the agent business -- he doesn't recruit clients and only got started in the business when Allison asked him to be a representative -- but does most of his work in his Boston-based office for major corporate clients.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated matter, sources say the NHLPA is reviewing certified agent David Frost's status after he was banned from all Central Ontario Junior Hockey League venues after a recent exchange with an off-ice official.