Gary Bettman Quotes (74 Quotes)

I thought that in light of the new era that we were ushering in, there would be no better indication of the fact that the players and the league are working together to move things forward that the best indication of that would be to have Ted here. And perhaps even more important, I thought it was important for the governors to hear what's on the players' mind.

In an increasingly dynamic sports and entertainment marketplace, new technology and entertainment vehicles have impacted the way sports leagues function and how we deliver the NHL experience to our business partners and fans,

We discussed a variety of options and I don't want to focus on any one because it would seriously be misconstrued and be potentially inflammatory,

Dallas is not only a great sports town, it has become a great hockey town.

I believe that I owe it to our fans, our business partners, all the people that work in and about the game, that I'm going to have to make an official announcement. But in some respects, I'm sort of doing that now because I think everybody understands the timetable.

Now the team's ability to compete is based upon its hockey, front office and team-building skills, not on the team's ability to pay, ... We have emerged as partners with our players and our fans.

just ridiculous to make that assertion. It's very clear that every initiative made in these negotiations have been made by Bob and the players' association.

Our players play all year for their NHL teams. We, as an accommodation to the Olympics, take a break. We're going to go, but to the extent players are injured it becomes a very personal decision as to what the right thing to do is. And I don't think people should second-guess them.

While it was a positive and constructive step to get together more formally than we have in the past, there are many more such steps ahead of us. And I prefer they occur behind the scenes, where they belong, so the competition on the ice can get the attention it deserves.

Under our current system, there are a number of markets that don't have teams now that could certainly support a team. Having said that, we're not looking to relocate and we're not looking to expand.

It will give us a better opportunity than ever before to connect with our fans and sports viewers.

have no interest in talking to us.

His ability to face adversity earned him respect. His dedication to hockey ... earned him the enduring appreciation and thanks of everyone associated with the game.

(We) will miss Brett's skill, his scoring touch and his fun-loving attitude, ... He was a splendid athlete, a passionate player and someone who never hesitated to speak his mind.

If an official puts his whistle away, they should put the official away for the rest of the playoffs. How long you work in the playoffs is discretionary, and that depends on how well you're working. And if a guy decides he's putting the whistle away, then he's done.

For anybody to suggest two weeks into the season, when we're playing at 93 per cent capacity, that there are trouble spots, I think is looking for a negative story that isn't there, ... All our franchises will be fine.

Banning pro athletes for two years for a first offense would be depriving them of their livelihood, ... The penalties should be severe, they should be harsh, but they shouldn't be such that the punishment doesn't fit the crime.

What's becoming increasingly clear and it was from the outset is that this had nothing to do with hockey. It has nothing to do with the integrity of our game.

We understand very clearly the difference between protecting a goaltender from injury and helping the goaltender protect the area of the net from a goal.

For me, I prefer to stay in the moment. I'm not looking for a fight. I'm looking for a solution to the economic issues confronting our game. Idle threats will not address these issues. We have a year remaining on the current collective bargaining agreement and, used properly, that is more than ample time in which to negotiate a new agreement. The National Hockey League has been prepared and remains prepared to begin formal collective bargaining negotiations on a moment's notice.

Clearly, our league and our game have undergone tremendous change. The 2005-06 season is still young, but everyone from casual fans to expert commentators like many of you here today concurs that NHL hockey has been reinvigorated,

Over the years, thousands of great NHL moments were presented to our fans through the lenses of ESPN cameras. ESPN was a supportive partner, and both the National Hockey League and ESPN enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship. We wish ESPN continued success.

More games are up for grabs right up until the final buzzer, ... That's great, and the fans are loving it.

We discussed everything. But again, everybody's first and primary focus is to make a deal with the union as quickly as possible.

Even in those cases when there were instances of alleged provocation, we have made it clear that NHL personnel need to do everything possible to avoid a confrontation of fans, and the failure to do so is not acceptable.

I know historically the projections we get at this point in the season, they could still be two, three, four percent off. And so what we did is, with some degree of comfort and intuitiveness, said this is where we think we're going to be.

Our clubs, our players and our fans want to take action, and they will do so together through their collections, through their donations and through the contributions generated by this special auction.

it's our time again, and we'll be better than ever, to come on back and enjoy what we have to offer.

My message to the kids and our fans is hockey's a great game. There's a lot of hockey being played at all levels. Get involved, do it. We will be back and we will be back better than ever and hopefully as soon as possible. Don't give up on the game. It's too good.

to pick a fight with the union on this issue at this point.

Lack of complete recovery at 7 months after injury raises serious questions about his future recovery and his ability to return to competitive hockey.

Yes, the Olympics are important. But players are in the middle of important careers. This is where they make their livelihood, and as much as we're happy to go to the Olympics, for us, the Stanley Cup's the most important thing.

We plan to do a lot of things in the community, grass-roots programs, events for people not necessarily coming to the game to get involved. The schedule is going to be elongated to give the players and the NHL an extra day ... It's an opportunity for us to celebrate our game in truly grand Texas fashion.

OLN is anticipating, as are we, subscriber growth,

I respect our players. They're prepared to forgo 1 billion in salaries this year alone and maybe hundreds of millions -- if not a billion -- next year. You've got to respect that. I don't always understand it, but I respect it.

This all adds up to good news for fans of our terrific sport and of the superb athletes who play in the NHL.

Accordingly, I have no choice but to announce the formal cancellation of play for 2004-05.

For a variety of reasons, the story has gotten ahead of itself. I won't speculate as to why. We're treating it very seriously. We'll get to the bottom of this.

As we grieve the passing of John McMullen, we celebrate his life of extraordinary accomplishment and the formidable contribution he made to the success of the National Hockey League. His foresight brought a franchise to New Jersey and his fervent support helped build the Devils into champions. Our deepest condolences go to his family and to the Devils' organization, which has lost its cherished patriarch.

The National Hockey League will miss Brett's skill, his scoring touch and his fun-loving attitude,

The fans deserve better in terms of experience. If there was no team here and somebody came to us and said, 'We'd like to bring a team to Nassau Coliseum,' our answer would be, 'Are you kidding.

We had a candid dialogue, ... If Congress, because of what's going on in some other sports, thinks we need to do more, then we'll work with Congress.

There is no way to measure accurately the number of lives Roger Neilson touched, inside and outside the hockey world, during his lifetime of devotion to our game.

I think our guys are consistently well attired and represent this game spectacularly across the country.

Phyllis Gretzky's influence on her family no doubt matches Wayne's impact on hockey. She taught tenaciousness and teamwork, hard work and humility, respect for people and for the game. Her legacy is defined daily by the way Wayne, and all her children, have shared those lessons in every area of their lives.

Our member clubs, our officials, our players and our hockey operations people will face many challenges in the weeks and months ahead. My job is to make sure that everyone stays focused on the objective of fostering competitive NHL hockey that features flow, skill, speed, puck movement and skating.

We plan to play a season however it happens.

While there is speculation as to which other NHL personnel may have been involved in this matter, we continue to await guidance in that regard from the New Jersey law enforcement authorities.

The entry draft is one of the most important events on our calendar, as it marks the culmination of one season and casts all eyes toward the bright future that awaits.

To use a hockey analogy, for the first time in a long while, the NHL has momentum. I'm determined to see us build upon it and grow this great game,