Playing the Game: Don Meehan Wins Respect and Top Salaries
Playing the Game: Don Meehan Wins Respect and Top Salaries McGill University
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There are dozens of millionaires on Don Meehan's Rolodex and most of them would be quick to credit him for the instrumental role he played in helping them earn those big bucks. Meehan, LLB'75, isn't a bank president or an investment guru. He is, however, the most powerful player agent in the world of hockey.
The Sporting News recently included Don Meehan in a list of the 100 most influential people in sports. The Globe and Mail says that Meehan is among the 25 most influential individuals in Canadian sports. Over 100 National Hockey League players are represented by Newport Sports Management, the agency Meehan founded in 1981, and his clients include some of the most talented hockey players in the world.
Based in Toronto, Newport also has offices in the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Finland and the Czech Republic. New Jersey Devils defenceman Scott Niedermayer, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, is represented by Meehan, as is Montreal Canadiens goaltender José Théodore (the NHL's most valuable player in 2001-02), Calgary Flames right wing Jarome Iginla (top goal-scorer in 2001-02), New York Islanders centre Michael Peca (the Frank Selke Trophy winner in 2001-02 as the league's best defensive forward) and St. Louis Blues defenceman Al MacInnis (a first-team NHL all-star this past season).
When the men's Canadian hockey team thrilled millions across the country at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics by winning the gold medal, Meehan was especially elated - nine of his NHL players were on the Team Canada roster.
Not bad for a guy who nearly broke his parents' hearts when he went into his current line of work.
After earning his law degree at McGill, Meehan was hired by Blaney, Pasternak, a prominent Toronto law firm. He dealt mostly with cases relating to tax or corporate law, but Blaney, Pasternak also had some hockey players among its clientele - Alan Eagleson worked at the firm when he helped organize the historic 1972 hockey series between Canada and Russia.
There weren't all that many hockey-related projects for Meehan to sink his teeth into, but they tended to be the projects that he enjoyed the most. Meehan's superiors were impressed by his contributions to the firm and it became clear that a partnership was within his grasp. Then he did the unexpected and bolted.
"The work I wanted to do was not the work they wanted me to do," Meehan explains. "I've always loved sports. I've been involved in sports all my life. I realized that was what I wanted to do and I didn't want to do it in a marginal way."
Meehan was an accomplished athlete in his own right. Former McGill Redmen football coach Charlie Baillie spent years trying to recruit Meehan to play for him, first when the pair were both at Sir George Williams University (Baillie coached there when Meehan did his undergraduate studies), then at McGill when Baillie took over the Redmen and Meehan began his law degree.
Meehan was a star wide receiver for a Verdun-based minor league club and Baillie remembers Meehan's prowess on the playing field. "He was one of the best players in the Montreal area and one of the top receivers in the minors."
Meehan finally agreed to play for Baillie during his final year of law school. He caught 29 passes for 345 yards. The only receiver in the conference to post more impressive stats that season went on to become a CFL all-star.
"He wasn't the fastest guy out there, but he was tall and he had excellent hands," recalls Baillie. "He was a good team guy, the kind of person who got along with everybody."
