Bob Goodenow was replaced as executive director of the NHL Players' Association in July 2005, shortly after a collective bargaining agreement was signed to end the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season.

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Fans dressed as the Hanson Brothers cheer following the game between the Coyotes and Blackhawks in Phoenix on Thursday, a 3-1 win by the home team, the first time Phoenix beat Chicago in two seasons.

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He was replaced by Ted Saskin, who was let go in May 2007 amid allegations of monitoring player's email.

The next man to step up to the plate was Paul Kelly, who went down swinging in August. That's when Ian Penny moved in as interim executive director.

A little more than a week ago, Penny informed the NHLPA staff and the executive board that "it is his position he has been constructively dismissed ... and can no longer work in the present circumstances."

Penny blamed Chris Chelios for undermining him.

Now the hunt is on for a fifth "executive director" in a little more than four years.

What that tells me is that the NHLPA has gone from standup comedy to farce, from an important sports body to a game of musical chairs.

Somewhere, Gary Bettman is smiling.

The NHLPA has disintegrated into an embarrassing and scary case of fratricidal warfare. Embarrassing, because what you have now is one union brother against another. Laughable, because the players have made it abundantly clear their only strength is on the ice. Off it, they can't make a decent, three-foot pass. When a union is split into factions, it's little more than putty in the owners' hands.

The cracks started widening into chasms months ago when NHLPA ombudsman Eric Lindros resigned. No reasons were given for his resignation and no questions were asked.

"He resigned before he was fired by Kelly," Chelios told me.

When Kelly went down, other resignations by player representatives and people in high positions followed. More could follow now that Rob Blake, Chelios, Mark Recchi and Nicklas Lidstrom have been appointed to investigate the upheaval within the ranks.

It is clear that what this group now desperately needs is someone at the top strong enough to right this sinking ship. The players now have a 10-man search committee, but I wonder if they really know what they're looking for.

What they need is someone with a hockey background who has played on both sides of the street. The best-case scenario is that he's a lawyer, has worked in the NHL front office, must have held an executive position with an NHL team to understand the players' needs, and has to be strong enough and knows enough about what goes on within league ranks to play on a level field with Bettman.

He has to know what is needed by the players, know what the game itself needs to grow.

The man I have in mind who is eminently qualified for the post is out there. Trouble is, nobody associated with the NHLPA's search committee is aware of it.

Don't ask me who I would go after. If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

rfisher@thegazette.canwest.com