Utah HC owner put NHL commish Gary Bettman in a precarious situation during franchise's first home game

At the Utah Hockey Club's first home game in the regular season, owner Ryan Smith invited league commissioner Gary Bettman to sit in glass seats. These are the closest to the action, akin to being right above the sideline at an NFL game, courtside at the NBA, or behind home plate at an MLB match. It's not something that Bettman usually does.

It is one of the most exciting seats in the house, but it's also dangerous. The action can happen right there, with players smashing into the glass right in front of the fans. Glass can shatter because of pucks and more can go wrong, but Smith wanted Bettman to have the best seat in the house.

Smith realized halfway through the contest with the Chicago Blackhawks that Bettman doesn't do this very often. He said on the 'Spittin' Chiclets' podcast:

"I didn't know that ... it's a whole new world. Especially not knowing that Gary doesn't sit on the glass. It wasn't till like halfway through when I was like, 'Hey, when's the last time you sat on the glass like this?' and he's like, 'Yeah, we don't, we don't do that.'"

He went on to say that he and Bettman had a good view of the first goal ever scored in Utah franchise history. The NHL commissioner told the owner that he likely didn't know how impactful that moment truly was.

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Gary Bettman had high hopes for Utah HC ahead of season

Before the season, no one from the Utah Hockey Club had ever done anything. Their first pick in the NHL Draft was the first one in franchise history. Everything since has been the first of something. Before that happened, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed what he thought of the team.

Gary Bettman believes in the Utah Hockey Club (Getty)

He said, via Sports Business Journal:

"I had high expectations. Ryan Smith had higher expectations, and I believe he and Chris [Armstrong] and Ashley [Smith] and their entire organization have been incredible in getting this team established and up and running in an unbelievably short window. I couldn't be more thrilled and more excited."

So far, the Hockey Club is off to a good start. They're currently third in the Central Division.