Behind the scenes with Gary Bettman at Game 1

[FanIn80]

This was actually pretty neat.

https://www.nhl.com/video/behind-the...-6374102678112

[Domoic]

Thanks for posting. I enjoyed that. 100% would have never come across that otherwise. Thanks Fan.

[AustinL_NHL]

Awesome watch! Thanks for sharing

[Locke]

When Stauffer laughs I think he just might die.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Locke

When Stauffer laughs I think he just might die.

He’s so hideous. His eyes barely open with all that fat.

[Reggie Dunlop]

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

He’s so hideous. His eyes barely open with all that fat.

This stuff isn’t necessary.

[Manhattanboy]

Thanks for that.

Maybe Gary will be a guest one day at a Finals game in the Flames new building.

[Royle9]

For all the #### Gary get's he's a pretty humble guy and one of the best commissioners in sports in my opinion. The guy loves the game of hockey, its refreshing to see.

Good watch!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Royle9

For all the #### Gary get's he's a pretty humble guy and one of the best commissioners in sports in my opinion. The guy loves the game of hockey, its refreshing to see.

Good watch!

Bettman gets a lot of #### and fair enough, heavy is the head that wears the Crown.

But he's grown the game, grown the League and, when required, has understandably been willing to be the villain, however there is no doubt that he is a competent and intelligent individual and frankly, a pretty damned good Commissioner.

Look at the NHL in 1993 and now. I dont think anyone else could have done better.

[topfiverecords]

Awesome how he brushes off Jack Michaels in the hallway.

[CliffFletcher]

How many hands does he shake in a game day like that? Gotta be approaching 100.

Guy is clearly passionate about his job, and good at it. It’s pretty impressive when you think of all the different elements and skills he needs to call on: legal expertise, financial savvy, media fluency - all under the highest pressure and an unrelenting spotlight. For over 30 years.

Interesting response to how he watches a game. One thing I’d have asked him is how hard it is not to cheer or visibly respond when a player scores an incredible goal.

[Joborule]

Minor compliant that I do have that I would place on Bettman is that the NHL has dropped the ball on setting the atmosphere of the playoffs and Final due to substituting the playoff logos on the ice with the digital ads. (Holy run on sentence)

I get it, money is king. But there's should clear presentation to those in attendance, watching on TV, or viewing images taken from the game that these aren't regular season games. When you saw that logo on the ice, you knew if meant more, and it just presented an aura on its own. Showing the logo here in there through the digital ads cycle doesn't cut it. They need to bring back the playoffs!? logo back somewhere on the ice.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Locke

Bettman gets a lot of #### and fair enough, heavy is the head that wears the Crown.

But he's grown the game, grown the League and, when required, has understandably been willing to be the villain, however there is no doubt that he is a competent and intelligent individual and frankly, a pretty damned good Commissioner.

Look at the NHL in 1993 and now. I dont think anyone else could have done better.

I generally like what he does and disagree with the petty complaints and the conspiracy theories about who he wants to win.

I do think there are serious issues with how he and the NHL in general treated CTE, and how they've let teams evade cap rules (especially stuff like Kane).

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I generally like what he does and disagree with the petty complaints and the conspiracy theories about who he wants to win.

I do think there are serious issues with how he and the NHL in general treated CTE, and how they've let teams evade cap rules (especially stuff like Kane).

Totally agreed. When it comes to CTE he likely has to deal with a lot of the dinosaurs in the NHL such as Colin Campbell who loved seeing players get their bells rung and the strange choosings of former goons to handle NHL player discipline. As for salary cap circumvention as much as the fans hate it, I imagine a lot of the power teams in the NHL right now Oilers, Leafs, Rangers, Lightning, are all for abusing those rules and it's a matter of maybe not enough other organizations stepping up as well as the NHLPA likely having their say as stashing players on LTIR enables opportunities for free agents to get work.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

This stuff isn’t necessary.

I will say there when you see Stauffer and Principe on their broadcasts, one of the first things that pops into my mind is "unhealthy lifestyles". One guy looks like he's a moment away from a heart attack or stroke while the other looks like a dermatologist's nightmare.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I generally like what he does and disagree with the petty complaints and the conspiracy theories about who he wants to win.

I do think there are serious issues with how he and the NHL in general treated CTE, and how they've let teams evade cap rules (especially stuff like Kane).

Yeah and I agree, but sometimes people have the tendency to think, much like your conspiracy theories, that Bettman is some all-powerful Hockey God who snaps his fingers and changes penalties and policies all by his lonesome.

The NHL is a HEAVY bureaucracy and that generally means things are slow to happen. It took a while to change icing rules, hitting rules...but they change. It just takes time.

Also, being a heavy bureaucracy is also saddled with a lot of 'Old Boys Club' guys that dont necessarily want to see that change. Wrangling the Board of Governors must be like herding cats.

Lastly, regarding the whole prolonged CTE issue is where being a scummy lawyer might come into play. Your moves have to be calculated to mitigate as much risk or potential image of guilt as possible...

Anyways, I'm a fan of Bettman, I think he's done a good job overall, but I also will admit to not being 'in-the-know' about all of his decisions. Obviously.

The reasoning behind the whole 'Phoenix Debacle' still eludes me for instance.

Also the fact that he is exactly what The Count from Sesame Street would look like if he were a real person. So he's got that going for him, which is nice.

[taxbuster]

That was fun and it shows Gary as a human (kind of).


I still think he's an oily, greasy lawyer who does only what's best for the 32 people who employ him.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

That was fun and it shows Gary as a human (kind of).


I still think he's an oily, greasy lawyer who does only what's best for the 32 people who employ him.

To be fair, that is his job.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

That was fun and it shows Gary as a human (kind of).


I still think he's an oily, greasy lawyer who does only what's best for the 32 people who employ him.

I was expecting more Count Chocula.