Who is the NHL commissioner? Know more about the controversial Gary Bettman

Gary Bettman has been the commissioner of the NHL since 1993. During his tenure, he has overseen significant changes in the league, including expansion into new markets, the introduction of the salary cap, and increased revenue-sharing among teams.

However, Bettman has also been a controversial figure, with some fans and players criticizing his handling of issues, such as player safety and expansion into non-traditional hockey markets.

Despite the criticisms, Bettman has been instrumental in growing the league's popularity and revenue. Under his leadership, the NHL has expanded from 24 to 32 teams, and the league's revenue has grown from $400 million in 1993 to over $6.1 billion today.

Gary Bettman has also been a key figure in negotiating several collective bargaining agreements with the NHL Players' Association, ensuring labor peace and stability in the league.

Controversies under Gary Bettman's tenure

NHL lockouts under Gary Bettman's leadership

Gary Bettman presided over three NHL lockouts during his tenure as commissioner, causing a total of two lost seasons. In 1993-94, the league lost 103 days of play during a lockout. In 2004, the owners refused to negotiate, and the entire season was canceled. In 2012, the owners sought to reduce the players' share of hockey-related revenues and other changes to player contracts, leading to a shortened season.

These lockouts caused economic upheaval in the league, resulting in bankruptcies and team relocations. While the owners were able to institute a salary cap and gain more revenue, the players took a pay cut and lost contract rights. Fans were also negatively impacted by losing the season of play.

Expansion into non-traditional hockey markets

One of the most controversial moves under Gary Bettman's leadership was his insistence on expanding the NHL into non-traditional hockey markets, such as Florida and Arizona. The league added several teams during Bettman's tenure, including the Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers, Minnesota Wild, and Columbus Blue Jackets.

At the same time, the league relocated teams like the Minnesota North Stars to Dallas, the Quebec Nordiques to Denver, the Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix, and the Hartford Whalers to North Carolina.

While some of these expansion teams found success, others struggled to build a fanbase and eventually relocated or folded. The Atlanta Thrashers, for example, only survived in Atlanta for about 12 years before moving out of the city. The Arizona Coyotes have also faced significant off-ice issues, struggling to break into the cultural zeitgeist and build a stable fanbase.

Perceived disrespect toward Canadian franchises

During Gary Bettman's leadership, some Canadian fans have felt that the league and Bettman have shown disrespect to Canadian franchises. This is due, in part, to the success of non-traditional hockey markets in the United States, such as the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes, who have won the Stanley Cup multiple times in the last 20 years.

Furthermore, some Canadian fans have not forgiven Gary Bettman for relocating the Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix or the Quebec Nordiques to Colorado early in his tenure. Additionally, there have been rumblings that Quebec City is being kept from reclaiming a franchise. While the return of the Jets has been lauded, Canadian fans continue to feel that the league and Bettman favor expansion franchises over Canadian teams.