Hall of Fame Inductee Spotlight: Don Baizley

By Sam Cortes, Communications Coordinator

Don Baizley (Builder – Hockey)

Don Baizley was born on May 15, 1942 in Kenora, Ontario, but grew up and worked all his life in Winnipeg. Growing up, Don had a passion for hockey, playing two seasons in the MJHL before beginning his career in law.

He was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1967 and practiced law at the firm Thompson Dorfman Sweatman (TDS LAW) for four years before moving on to another firm. His main expertise centered around sports law and labour law. In 1984, Don went back to TDS Law, this time as a partner in the firm and he stayed there until he passed in June 2013.

Don’s passion for hockey is what steered him on his career path to one day representing professional hockey players as their agent. He started off representing Winnipeg players in contract negotiations with both the WHA and the NHL.

When European hockey players started making their way to North America to play professional hockey, Don was at the center of it, facilitating and representing those that were eager to leave their mark here. This list includes players like Jari Kurri, Anders Hedberg, and Ulf Nilsson, to name a few.

Don was well-respected amongst players, and many of them considered him a friend during and after their careers ended. Some pundits went as far as calling him the most respected man in the game.

“His stature was so high in the hockey world that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman opened the 2013 NHL draft this year with a tribute to Baizley, who had died just days before,” said Steve Dryden from TSN Hockey.

Over a career that spanned decades, Don had a tremendous impact on the game of hockey in Manitoba. He was a player agent for many who called Winnipeg home and was on the board of many governing bodies. He represented Teemu Selanne, Paul Kariya, Joe Sakic, and Teppo Numminen, along with several other high profile players.

He is already a member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and a member of the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame, making him a worthy inductee into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.