Gary Bettman: Friend or Foe?

I don’t find Gary Bettman to be doing as bad of a job as perhaps many others might think. I find hockey has improved since the lockout. Gary Bettman, however, is in charge of making hockey more lucrative, and I think perhaps he is not succeeding to the degree he might be able to if he changed his tactics a little.

I like how he is striving to make a better product by changing the rules slightly. I find there are still some improvements left to be made in that department, however, and perhaps some things he should be careful not to change.

I also like how he is showcasing the NHL across the pond to other markets that might be interested in having some franchises permanently hosted in their towns. However, what I don’t like is how Gary Bettman is perhaps hurting the NHL’s greater fanbase by trying to force the sport into markets where the culture there just isn’t interested in hockey.

Since the lockout, some changes have been made to the rules, and I find they are generally for the better. One area I think could use some improvement would be for hits from behind in the race for icing.

I don’t think the fore-checking players should necessarily be held completely accountable for those, since the amount of time between the moment where they can discern whether the first player in is showing numbers or not and the point of collision is much too small to realistically hold the fore-checking player accountable.

The first player in should know he is probably being chased and that that will likely result in him getting hit. I know he needs to protect the puck, but he also needs to protect himself. It’s hard, but that’s why they get paid the big bucks.

Still, a hit from behind is what it is, a hit from behind. So I do think it should be a minor penalty, whether or not there is injury, since the hit was unintentional

On the other hand, for an intentional hit from behind in a different situation, a large suspension should be ascribed. This is not unlike you would treat a high stick. A high stick is a high stick, but tee one up with somebody’s teeth, and you won’t play hockey for a while.

I think it’s good Bettman is trying to improve the game, but he should tread lightly or he could ruin a great sport. For instance, he receives feedback that fans want more scoring, but this is not something that should necessarily be fixed.

The first goal in a game is exciting because goals have value. Shutouts are not a myth. Too many goals, and getting a goal is less exciting. When fans no longer demand more scoring, you’ve ruined a great part of the game.

I do still find it a little strangely biased in the netminder’s favour when one on one with another player, but I think that as the players practice shootouts more, that might change. Maybe the NHL could officially change their stick blade specifications more in the forward’s favour as well. Perhaps a change in tenders’ equipment might also be an improvement.

All in all though, I find Bettman is doing a good job of refining the game and trying to build the best product possible for current and prospective fans alike.

I don’t, however, support his other tactics of having a salary cap and having franchises in cities where they don’t like hockey. Either of these alone, as a fan, I don’t mind, but not both together.

The way Bettman wants the NHL to be, we could end up with Florida vs. Phoenix in the Stanley Cup finals—something few would want to watch, even in hockey markets.

I understand the logic of making investments to build more teams with more fans, but he should just move teams to cities where people want to see the sport. Sure, the United States has bigger cities and more people, but some cultures just don’t like hockey, whether the home team wins or loses.

I think Bettman should dissolve the struggling franchises, potentially moving some to Canada. I think he should continue showcasing in Europe with the aim of creating another “division” of the NHL that that would be basically its own league with its own regular and playoff season, after which the North American division leaders could play the European division leaders in a champions league of sorts.

We could reduce the regular season and number of North American teams to make room for this champions league event and to prevent too much watering down of talent, and put hockey where people want it.

I’m not sure how much longer the NHL can sustain these franchises at a loss, and really that could have been money invested towards somewhere where people want hockey. That way, your investment turns a profit.

Do I think Gary Bettman is doing a bad job? Well, I don’t know—two out of three isn’t bad, is it?