This alone is uncommon in an era of free agency and trade-happy management, and it is a credit to the vision of Lou Lamoriello, the general manager who assembled the team.
What is remarkable about this acquisition-happy management is that it refuses to do unfriendly deals.
"We are very happy that management has heard our message and agreed not to further erode our base compensation, allowing us to stay as competitive as possible with the marketplace," Jeffrey Rathbun, the chairman of the players' committee and an oboist, said in a statement.
The independent directors, led by the chairman, George Mitchell, may be pressed to start a search for a successor.Yet the board and most investors now seem happy with management's promise to deliver 40% growth in profits from continuing operations this fiscal year and double-digit growth to 2007.
Negotiators for building owners and apartment building workers said yesterday that both sides had emerged victorious by reaching a settlement at the brink of a strike, but union officials sounded happier than management about the agreement.
Investors also appeared happy by the management shake-up.
He is also asked about corporate governance, as Hester was, and replies that he is happy with the management structures.
I can't remember the wording of the letter, but the gist was that I wasn't happy with his management, he wasn't motivating the players, they were lazy and I was particularly scathing of our young Welsh left-back, who was the most useless defender I ever had the misfortune to watch.
"All the players are really happy with the management.
Investors appeared to be happy with the management change.
(See "Rage Against Barclays").. "It's quite clear that investors are not happy with Barclays' management team.
