Breaking: NHL facing giant class-action suit against 5,000 former players

The lawsuit first brought forth by a group of 10 former NHL players including Toronto Maple Leafs star Rick Vaive finally has a court date to decide if the proceedings qualify as a class-action suit. This, according to a report from TSN’s Rick Westhead:

Also according to Westhead, should the lawsuit become certified as a class action, then 5,000 former players would automatically become plaintiffs, unless they decide to opt out. Yowza. Facing a lawsuit against 10 jilted former players is one thing. Facing a lawsuit against 5,000 jilted former players is entirely another.

Should this case be allowed to proceed and the NHL is ultimately found guilty, the financial impact of such a ruling could have unmeasurable effects on the hockey world. It’s not unreasonable to imagine a scenario where the NHL is forced into bankruptcy by such a ruling. Interesting times. We’ll certainly be watching and waiting with anticipation for the outcome this Fall.