Candid commissioner

Bettman sounds off on economics, possible rules changes

Commissioner Gary Bettman was in Atlanta last week as the NHL held its annual marketing meetings. Along with my broadcast partner, Matt McConnell, I had the chance to visit with him as part of the Atlanta Thrashers vs. Montreal Canadiens telecast. As usual, Bettman was engaging and forthright in his comments on a number of topics pertaining to the NHL.

Of course, the discourse began with a brief acknowledgement of our alma mater, Cornell University, and its fine season in men’s ice hockey, as well as our less than bold prediction that the Big Red would beat RPI over the weekend. (Yes, Bettman was part of the “Lynah faithful” as an undergrad, and yes, Cornell advanced to the semifinals of the ECAC playoffs this weekend in Albany, N.Y.) Bettman intimated that if Cornell can prevail, he would attend the Frozen Four in Buffalo, N.Y.

That point provided a nice segue into the league’s acceptance of Thomas Golisano's bid to purchase the Buffalo Sabres. Bettman’s view is that Golisano’s ownership of the Sabres is welcome news -- for both the NHL and, most important, the fans in Buffalo. Part of Bettman’s vision is to get the current NHL membership to the bargaining table in 2004 intact. He conceded that some teams will struggle to get to that stage, but he feels it is vital that all do so. At that point, they will address the economics of the game as they pertain to proven hockey markets.

When you think about it, that is precisely the issue at the crux of a new collective bargaining agreement. Coming up with a viable accord that addresses the needs of proven, established hockey markets is the goal. Like Buffalo. Like Pittsburgh. Throw in Calgary and Edmonton. Call them small markets if you will, but they are hockey markets just the same and, as such, are important to the fabric of the league.

Just as growth in non-traditional markets was important over the last decade, providing competitive safeguards for long-standing incumbents is paramount in this decade. The league cannot move forward if it gets into a mode of swapping long-standing fan bases, leaving behind only the bitter message that "the league can no longer afford you." Talk about distasteful -- not to mention counterproductive.

To that end, I asked Bettman about the recent player rhetoric on the subject of the impending collective bargaining negotiations. He said that he "takes note" and "hopes that it is representative of the membership as a whole." Me too. Like most former players, I am happy to see the players do so well under Players Association president Bob Goodenow's leadership. It is just desserts, reflective of the economic climate of the 1990s, as well as a backlash against the dishonorable and criminal handling of union affairs under the previous regime of Alan Eagleson. Now, though, it seems that the health of the NHL is dependent upon the two sides striking an accord that lies somewhere between the two extremes.

Not all the banter related to off-ice issues. We discussed some of the recent on-ice scrutiny as well. The commissioner was somewhat puzzled by the groundswell of angst regarding the added space behind the goal lines.

“I’m not sure where that is coming from, since it has been in effect the last four or five years,” Bettman said.

So, if the neutral zone is not going to get the six feet back from behind the goal lines, what about the elimination of the red line for two-line passes? Here, Bettman countered with the other side of the argument -- the one that says that in so doing, you impair the defenseman’s ability to hold the offensive blueline, as he must retreat to protect against the long, breakaway pass. Along those lines, he also made the valid point that NHL offense is largely based on puck possession in the attacking zone and that taking out the red line would, “I’m pretty sure, hurt our game.”

No matter where you stand in relation to Commissioner Bettman’s position on certain topics, there's one thing I’m pretty sure of: His focus is to help the game. What makes it genuine to me is that if you listen long and hard enough, you can detect the fan in the man behind the executive agenda.

In my mind, that is just one more reason to root for Cornell this weekend.

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for SI.com.

 

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