US Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to Lead NHL Players Union, Source Says

Marty Walsh, the U.S. secretary of labor and former mayor of Boston, is set to leave the Biden administration to be the next head of the NHL players union, a source familiar with the matter tells NBC News.

A former union member, Walsh has been the country's top labor official for nearly two years, and he served two terms as mayor of Boston.

The news was first reported by hockey website The Daily Faceoff, which cited sources saying Walsh would be able to live in Boston despite the union being based in Toronto.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh talks about his position in the Biden administration and touches on the race for his old seat as Boston's mayor.

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NBC10 Boston has reached out to the Department of Labor for more information. The White House declined comment to NBC News, which also reached out to the union.

The news comes ahead of President Joe Biden's State of the Union address Tuesday night.

Joining the NHLPA would put Walsh on a similar path to someone he worked closed with in Massachusetts, former Gov. Charlie Baker, who is set to take over the NCAA next month.

In an interview, outgoing Gov. Charlie Baker looks back on his governorship and ahead to his new role as president of the NCAA.