The future of Gary Bettman
Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – Division 5 Hockey Episode Gary Bettman’s future and the succession plan, sort of, for the next NHL commissioner.
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Bukauskas: “Now where do you want to start here with Gary Bettman and the future of the commission chairman?”
Friedman: “Well, I liked that he admitted that there was one, because I don’t know if he’s ever done that before. And you know, like he said, nothing’s going to happen. And you know, I want to make this clear, I think the commissioner is going to be there for a while.
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So, I got a call from one governor. So, Tuesday was the commissioner’s birthday; he is now 74 years old. I got a call from another governor who said to me, ‘I’ll bet you’ll be in one role or another until he’s 80.’ I said, ‘What, six years?’ He says, ‘Yes, six years.’ I said, ‘Okay.’ I mean, I’m happy to bet anything on a steak dinner. So, there’s a.. we’re going to have a steak dinner. We just have to find the terms.
Now, I will say this. He has been rumored to have signed an extension. Those were rejected from me.
And I’ll tell you something else. I heard rumors that he was going to become the chairman of the board of governors, which is now Jeremy Jacobs’ role, and I did not deny these.
Bettman is incredibly loyal to the deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, with whom he has worked for a long time and has stoked the commissioner’s fire for a long time. And I respect honesty. I don’t think it’s enough in the world, and I really respect it.
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I think one of the things that has been discussed in all of this is, whenever Bettman’s time comes, will Bill Daly be the next commissioner?
And again, the idea that Bettman is going directly to the chairman of the board of governors. I know some people who asked about that, and were told it wouldn’t happen. So, any succession plan, and I think it has been discussed with the executive committee, which is a group of 10 owners. He’s not ready to say what it is yet, and not everyone knows, but there’s something.
I just think one of the interesting things here is that there is a willingness to have Bill Daly take over as the next commissioner. I just think there are some owners who would like to be searched. Okay, if we search and Daly is a good guy, he gets the job. And there are other owners who are like, no, I think he deserves a promotion.
So, I think that’s one of the things they’re working on. That whenever the time comes, it will be searched, or will he just be put in position? That, I think is one of the things that is being discussed.
But it’s exciting, Kyle, because for the first time they seem to be putting together a plan.”
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Bukauskas: “That’s right, and you’re willing to admit that.”
Friedman: “Yes, he’s willing to admit it.”
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