NHL preparing for Gary Bettman’s retirement in “a couple years”

[22Brad Park]

Definitely do not like that little weasel but he has made the NHL oodles of cash.

 

[Monsieur Miz]

Might be one of the only one but I actually like the guy. Especially since he started embracing his "heel" factor.

 

[Senor Catface]

Palpatine tried that.

It didn't end well

Somehow, Bettman returned.

 

[wolfgaze]

Expect a lot of “Ding dong the witch is dead” across social media when it finally happens.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Florida was done before he became commissioner.

Yeah and both teams struggled financially, especially Tampa Bay, they had ownership issues and were a financial disaster. Bettman was hired during that expansion era to lead the leagues growth and evolution and he deserves some credit for where the league is today.

 

[Identity404]

Bettman is objectively the GOAT NHL commissioner, but plays the heel across all NHL fan bases. I will miss him for sure.

 

[StlBigFly]

Doug Armstrong.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

I vote George Parros

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I vote George Parros

As a former player, Parros likely actually cares about the game of hockey, which therefore disqualifies him from being commissioner.

 

[Oneiro]

Praise for Bettman in this thread shows you that people look at errors of commission far more than ommission.

This league, under different leadership, would have been far richer than it is today if they had a true business minded commissioner.

 

[geebster]

Praise for Bettman in this thread shows you that people look at errors of commission far more than ommission.

This league, under different leadership, would have been far richer than it is today if they had a true business minded commissioner.

Errors of Commissioner*

 

[JianYang]

I don't think the nhl did "great" under bettman. He was maybe "okay" but not "great".

What the nhl wanted from him at the beginning was a legitmate national US deal with the networks. They got it with fox.

I think the 3 work stoppages under his watch are big blemishes. 1994 was damaging because they had awoken the largest market in America. Sports Illustrated was also pumping the nhl tires while deflating the NBA.

2005 was ridiculous. A full year lost. That just does not happen. Then yet another stoppage in 2013.

There was also short term vision of taking a TV deal on an obscure network such as oln/versus. For a niche league trying to keep up with the nba's growth, they sure did their best to hide their product from the mainstream sources.

That said, yes the league definitely grew under bettman, and they are a much more professional operation than what he took over, but that was inevitable if the league hired anyone with an ounce of competency for the job.

 

[bv29]

His retirement can't come soon enough if you ask me, which leads me to another (logical) question. How much Quebec chances of getting team are up once he is (finally) gone ?

 

[cowboy82nd]

wouldn't surprise me if a canadian team win a stanley cup as soon as he retires.

Yes, that's what stopping Canadian teams from winning a Stanley Cup.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

His retirement can't come soon enough if you ask me, which leads me to another (logical) question. How much Quebec chances of getting team are up once he is (finally) gone ?

Who's paying the $2 billion? You?

 

[cowboy82nd]

I have no doubt that the NHL will find a way to hire someone even more insufferable than Batman.

Robin???

 

[blundluntman]

Sean Avery shall be his successor and Ilya Bryzgalov will be his assistant.

"The Universe is so humongous big... Lets expand the league to other planets."

 

[Voight]

I don't think the nhl did "great" under bettman. He was maybe "okay" but not "great".

What the nhl wanted from him at the beginning was a legitmate national US deal with the networks. They got it with fox.

I think the 3 work stoppages under his watch are big blemishes. 1994 was damaging because they had awoken the largest market in America. Sports Illustrated was also pumping the nhl tires while deflating the NBA.

2005 was ridiculous. A full year lost. That just does not happen. Then yet another stoppage in 2013.

There was also short term vision of taking a TV deal on an obscure network such as oln/versus. For a niche league trying to keep up with the nba's growth, they sure did their best to hide their product from the mainstream sources.

That said, yes the league definitely grew under bettman, and they are a much more professional operation than what he took over, but that was inevitable if the league hired anyone with an ounce of competency for the job.

Thats just it. All sports leagues have grown in terms of fans/viewers, mostly because the general population has increased over time, as it always does. However, NHLs been left in the dust by the other three major leagues. Even baseball which has had issues attracting younger fans, is still doing well financially.

 

[SwedishFire]

My guess is they'll try to find another Bettman -- someone with a non-hockey sports business but not team management background

No, I think Bettman was kind of a "lucky strike". If youre aware of the sport, thats a major thing. Really bad and akward things will happen otherwise.

A former hockeyplayer with success in law and order, or another prosport league repsonsible. Could just as be a Brian Burke such as well.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

His retirement can't come soon enough if you ask me, which leads me to another (logical) question. How much Quebec chances of getting team are up once he is (finally) gone ?

Who exactly in QC is offering to cut a $1.5B check? Name names.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Out of touch Canadians will be thrilled when he's gone. Keep holding on to that delusion will get more, not less, Canadian teams!

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Out of touch Canadians will be thrilled when he's gone. Keep holding on to that delusion will get more, not less, Canadian teams!

I just want him gone because the league is utter shit.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I just want him gone because the league is utter shit.

Case in point. "Utter SHIT"? The game is faster and more technical than it's ever been. Last season we had the best Art Ross race I've seen in my 18 years of fandom. McDavid cleared 40 points in the playoffs, something we haven't seen since Gretzky 31 years ago.

You're acting like a child.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Case in point. "Utter SHIT"? The game is faster and more technical than it's ever been. Last season we had the best Art Ross race I've seen in my 18 years of fandom. McDavid cleared 40 points in the playoffs, something we haven't seen since Gretzky 31 years ago.

You're acting like a child.

That has more to do with skate and stick technology than it does Bettman. It took Gary 10 years and his second lockout before the league addressed clutch and grab hockey that was negating a lot of what his star players could do on the ice.

 

[Laus723]

Florida may not have a team without him. Panther fans who boo him either have no idea why they're booing him, or are just uneducated. He has flaws, hated the '05 lockout, but the players were also given bad advice.