Speaker Profile

William (Bill) L. Daly, was named the National Hockey League’s first-ever Deputy Commissioner by Commissioner Gary B. Bettman on July 22, 2005 – an appointment that was unanimously endorsed by the NHL’s Board of Governors. Daly’s appointment came after serving for more than eight years as the League’s Chief Legal Officer during which time he played a major role in helping to shape the National Hockey League’s current identity on the global sports landscape.

In his present role, Mr. Daly is the chief consultant to Commissioner Bettman on every topic impacting the League and the League’s business. Principal among his duties is negotiating and administering the League’s Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) with the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) and with the NHL Officials’ Association (NHLOA). In 2004-05, and again in 2012-13 and2019-20, Mr. Daly was the League’s lead negotiator in CBA negotiations with the NHLPA. The most recent negotiation, which was conducted principally during the COVID pandemic, culminated in a four-year extension to the NHL/NHLPA CBA which ensures the NHL ongoing labor peace through the 2025-26 NHL season. Due in large part to the economic framework initially established in 2005, and since maintained and fine-tuned in collective bargaining, the NHL has experienced unprecedented competitive balance and record revenue growth, and has achieved previously unparalleled levels in terms of the popularity and financial strength and stability of the game.

In addition, Mr. Daly is the principal liaison and caretaker for the NHL’s relationship with the international hockey community. He oversees the NHL’s Cup of Hockey, the IIHF World Hockey Championships, the NHL Global Series and the NHL China Games. Mr. Daly also interfaces regularly with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and its member national associations in Europe and in that connection is responsible for negotiating and administering the NHL’s Player Transfer Agreements with nearly all of the major European Ice Hockey Federations. Pursuant to those Agreements, the NHL and its Member Clubs provide financial support for elite Player Development outside North America in return for the right to access and transfer internationally trained Players to North America to play in the NHL.

Mr. Daly is also the League’s principal liaison with the NHL Alumni Association; the American Hockey League and ECHL; Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League; USA Hockey and the USHL; and NCAA College Hockey, including the various college hockey conferences and College Hockey, Inc. In that role, Mr. Daly has been principally responsible for negotiating and administering the necessary working agreements related to each of those relationships.

Mr. Daly serves as President of the NHL Foundation – the organization responsible for administering and directing charitable dollars and initiatives for the League and its Clubs – and also serves on the Board for the NHL Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. Mr. Daly also represents the NHL on the Board of Directors for the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Board of Directors for USA Hockey.

Beyond his duties with the NHL, Mr. Daly serves as a board member for the Sports Lawyers Association and has also served on the board for the Sports Development Corporation of the City of New York, and the Sports Law and Antitrust Law Committees of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Mr. Daly regularly lectures on, and has authored a number of articles addressing, legal issues relating to professional sports. Prior to accepting a position with the NHL on December 13, 1996, Mr. Daly spent six years as an attorney with the New York law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP. His focus while at Skadden was litigation, antitrust and labor issues relating to professional sports. During his tenure at Skadden, Mr. Daly represented, among other clients, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League on a variety of legal and collective bargaining matters.

Mr. Daly, 61, is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where he played varsity football, and the New York University School of Law. He is married to his wife Gloria and has three children, Taylor, Brendan and Liam. Mr. Daly is a life-long resident of New Jersey and currently resides in Montville, NJ. Mr. Daly is a passionate and life-long fan of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

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