It’s almost glorious that the NHL Draft lottery blew up in Gary Bettman’s face … almost.
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10 Comments
I can’t remember the exact quote or who it’s attributed to. But I remember some NBA executive (I think) said of Bettman, when he first got the NHL job, “If you handed Bettman a puck he’d spend all day trying to figure out how to open it.” Something like that. The point being, the actual game, and its integrity, were never Bettman’s priorities.
Well at least Bettman uses no chemicals, just juices and berries in his hair.
NHL has a toxic culture. Needs to clean up its' act. Start by canning Buttman.
Cast Bettman from the league, and his wicked tribe from our lands!!! #110!
1. The Leafs aren't going to let Dubas go yet, no matter what Frank Seravalli posits. I'm more to agree with Friedman that he isn't going anywhere for all the logical reasons he states. IMO Keefe will be fired first. Can't blame the GM for a roster that by all accounts should be going further in the playoffs. It's not like Dubas loaded them up with a lot of Carter's, Kapanen's and Granlund's at the sake of McCann's and Tanev's. Heck, Toronto even had actual goaltending this season when Murray wasn't in net. If they get swept by Florida, it's on the coach. 2. He won't want to come to Pittsburgh because FSG on one hand can't give him all the power to run the team as he wants, while at the same time include the caveat that Sullivan stays. That's being…how you put it, micro-managed. Wasn't it Dubas with Shanahan who fired Babcock? What makes Sullivan more entitled to stay than Babcock? Don't think Dubas will ponder that? Yup, only 32 GM jobs… and Dubas currently has one of them, even though they have yet to renew his contract. Lots of teams would be interested in him, Ottawa with new owners will be one of them. If Toronto blows up everything and he is let go along with probably Shanahan and Keefe, Dubas will go there first if having a choice between his childhood favorite team with all the managerial trimmings he wants, versus Pittsburgh and co-managing the team with Sullivan, and that's what it will essentially be. FSG can say all they want, but unless the new GM is given the ability to chose who the head coach is, it's all talk…with a Bahstin accent no less.
Gary Bettman laid a good foundation (expansion era) but he's NOT the right person to move the league to the next level. Add to that he has the public graces of a harpooned sperm whale and it is time to go. The NHL must turn the page on the Great Gary.
If it's time for Bettman to go, which I absolutely think it's overdue, does that mean it's time for Daly's tenure to end too? I'd say yes. He's spent all this time learning and doing from Bettman, I believe it would be just as bad if not worse if Daly took over. Much like when a HC leaves, usually the assistants go too.
the draft lottery makes no sense at all. As bad as Bettman is, he's no Roger Gooddell….
That Draft Lottery show was terrible, especially the part where someone off camera announces that Columbus dropped from the #2 spot to the #3 spot before ESPN cuts to commerical and before Bill Daly actually draws the Columbus card on camera. Also, as an aside, feel bad for Aneheim once again missing out on a generational talent by 1 pick. As you recall, the Ducks were #2 in the Sidney Crosby lottery and again most recently 2nd for Bedard.
For awhile now I’ve thought about the fining and suspension process for the NHL as antiquated and farcical. Players can be actual blood letters for hire and it’s been this way for far too long. The equipment isn’t protective enough and the sport in general is extremely dangerous for the athletes. They are firing 100+MPH vulcanized rubber discs at each other, and though it may make them “manly” in some grotesque, backwards ways, it doesn’t seem to gel with modern culture’s understanding of health and prosperity. CTE is an incredibly complex and terrifying illness that we can help eradicate with proper protection and safety measures that are effective in preventing serious head injuries. But instead we are forced to watch the barbarity of the NHL playoffs play out and then crown a champion based as much on “toughness” as talent. This commissioner is truly holding this sport back and nothing seems to be changing.