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To put this in perspective, since the lockout Bettman's salary doubled and Datsyuk's did not.

Terrible overpayment.

Pound-for-pound, he's the world's most expensive manure spreader.

Be fair...you're taking that out of context. The question was if he felt that players with big contracts get extra pressure to produce and thus play in the top 6 and if he felt that that was part of why he wasn't in the top 6. He said no, he didn't think money had anythign to do with role and that it was evidenced by the fact that there were players in the top 6 who made less than him. He was essentially saying that if salary indicated role (top 6 for big bucks) that he would have been on one of the top 2 lines. THe fact he doesn't believe that to be the case implies that he wasn't acting in an entitled fashion. Whether or not that's true is up to everyone to decide but don't take the guy's comment out of context.

I have always found this argument awfully flawed. Bringing a known locker-room cancer onto the team is damned well not a low-risk venture. Part of the Wings` success over the years has lay in the fact that they do not bring in players who cause problems behind the scenes. Everyone on the team gets along, and everyone either works hard and behaves well or finds himself going the way of Leino, Williams and Avery. Do not underestimate locker room dynamics in their relation to how the team performs on the ice, nor in how they relate to players wanting to come to the Wings. Frankly I don't give a damn if he wanted to be on his old teams or not, and indeed he shouldn't have signed with them if he didn't like them. He consistently had a bad attitude and put forth substandard levels of effort while being paid a high-level professional athlete's salary. And his story about the problems he supposedly had in Philly that kept him from succeeding are meaningless in light of the fact that he's had the exact same problems with attitude and with his coaches on both of the other NHL teams he's played for. The fact that every single team passed on him when he was put on waivers rather than risking putting up with him for the last two or three months of the season demonstrates how troublesome a player he is to any team he's on. Honestly, how many talented players get completely passed over, especially when their contract is ending and they aren't being paid that much? What does that tell you about him? If any of you think that he's suddenly being honest, is willing to work hard, and isn't responsible for his laziness and piss-poor attitude last season, then I won't hesitate to call you gullible. The guy wants a job. He wants to get paid. He knows he has a bad reputation. Once he gets on a team, he's guaranteed a salary. I don't doubt that he'll say whatever he feels will help him get that.

If you're not partying, you're not trying! esteef

Another complaint about bashing Bettman...How original... If you're not interested in commenting, don't. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean others shouldn't either.

$7.5 million dollars? To do what, exactly? Sit in an office with his thumbs up his ass? Can someone point to me what it is he does to earn this paycheck? I know what our guys do to earn their money.....how about we have some forensic accountants pour over Bettman's financials to see where this money is coming from and where it's going.

Here is an idea. Since he basically owns the Yotes, he should give his salary directly to the payroll so they can actually sign players up to the cap, get better, and stay there like he keeps harping on about!

I'll give him 7.5 cents to go away.

Geez, here we all thought Ericsson's contract was bad.

I would rather have Brad Richards for 6.6 mil

It's not even close to that the team has had the money to sign these guys, the players don't want to play here. The Panthers are a team known to give big contracts to mid-range, known talent and the vets know this and just come for a year long vacation away from competition. The kids here get screwed around alot, thats why they hold out or never sign at all. I'll add another example: Ray Whitney Drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the 2nd round (23rd overall) in 1991. 11/06/1997 Claimed by the Florida Panthers off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. That season he scores 32 goals,61 points in 68 games for the Panthers. 273 games, 97 goals, 227 points playing for some very questionable Panther teams. The season he is traded he has 31 points in 43 games. 3/13/2001 Florida Panthers traded Ray Whitney and future considerations to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Kevyn Adams and a 4th round selection (Michael Woodford) in 2001. Strike 1. Come on, a near point per game player (.831) and you get a 4th rounder and a gamble in Adams. Adams goes on to play 56 games for the Panthers, scoring 7 goals and 21 points over 2 seasons. Bust. Then: 1/16/2002 Carolina Hurricanes traded Sandis Ozolinsh and Byron Ritchie to the Florida Panthers for Bret Hedican, Tomas Malec, Kevyn Adams and a conditional 2nd round selection in 2003. Strike 2. They trade him off to join Whitney in Carolina and eventually win a cup together in 05-06, meanwhile FL loses Ritchie to F/A and deal Ozolinsh to the Ducks where in his 1st year they go to the cup finals. January 30, 2003 - Traded by the Florida Panthers, along with Lance Ward to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in exchange for Pavel Trnka, Matt Cullen and Anaheim's 2003 4th rnd.(Jay Pemberton). Strike 3. ----------------------------------------- So far we started with Whitney for free and have just traded around for contracts and ended up with essentially Matt Cullen.......wait for it Cullen goes 86 games, 12 goals, 31 points for the Panthers over 2 seasons. Bust. __NHL Lockout___ They lose Cullen to F/A, but here is the best part, he joins up with Adams and Whitney in Carolina to win that cup. A waiver pickup that sustained a franchise with bodies for 6 years. Thats all it ever was for them. If they wanted to win they could have kept those players. These guys obviously wanted to win. Sigh, headache is back, maybe i'll be able to add more tomorrow.

The problem with you logic is Burns wasn't 'stonlen', Sharks gave up more talent and assets than Detroit could ever afford to give..., and no, contrary to popular belief on LGWs, Wild did not want Hudler + Kindl and a 5th. Lol! First of all, Devin Setoguchi took a home team discount to be on the Sharks, only to be a sign and trade. Players around the league frown on such tactics and that will burn lots of bridges. Second of all, Sharks gave up a high-end prospect in Charlie Coyle and a first-round pick! Setoguchi has more value than Filppula, so Holland would need to throw in some talent to sweeten the deal. Perhaps Darren Helm? + Filppula, Brendan Smith and a 1st rounder. How is that a steal? That's ******* robbery if you ask me. I think Smith will be a superior and more valuable defenseman than Burns ever will. So if anything, you should be THANKING Holland for not being stupid and jumping on the "OMG, panic, panic, I got to trade the future for an above average defenseman" train that most of LGWs are on. Secondly, why the hell would you want to waste cap space on Heatley? He's a good player, but way overpaid for what he brings to the post-season. He doesn't even skate like he use to, he looks slow(er), and he's a player that depends on speed. Is his body breaking down or is he just lazy? I'm not sure, but he looks like broken goods.

I don't think they actually want to trade thosr players, they just simply can't afford them. Look at the Indians in baseball, do you think they wanted to trade cc, cliff lee, and victor martinez? No they simply were too good for a small market team to afford so rather than lose them in free agency, you get what u can in a trade.

The owners all like the job he is doing. I say good for him. I just hope that there isn't a lockout when the CBA expires. We don't need another debacle like we had last time the CBA expired.

Sigh... how many times does it need to be explained. Bettman (as much as I dislike him) is not responsible for the Yotes not moving... GLENDALE IS.

Ericsson's contract is bad. Bettman was hired to increase the popularity and range of the NHL, and it has always been his job to increase profits and revenue. He has excelled at that. Have you SEEN his hairline?

Sounds to me like hes just whining about not being in the top 6, which he didn't deserve anyway. Complaining that players who make less money than you are getting more minutes? Give me a break. He makes it seem like there's some evil dark conspiracy against him. Laviolette is a coach, and a smart coach at that, and is simply icing the best team he can.

Why are you so sure?! Why would Bab do such stupid thing? Why do you think Lids and Zetta would agree? Just (try and) picture this: Scotty goes to Larionov and ask if he stop drinking his regular glass of wine every day... Remember there is a difference between having trouble with drinking and living a normal life. If this Dry Island story is true, Carter and Richards are the only normal guys there, who would not comply with stupidity and object anyone, even a head coach, who interferes with their personal life.

Reasonable salary, really. He probably does just as much work as any athlete, constant meetings, planning, public affairs, travel, etc. I'm pretty sure Bettman probably lives his job and puts in as much time and a lot of travel as the athletes do. Whatever our feelings of Bettman, the fact is he has overseen the rebuilding of the sport into a much more marketable, and arguably more popular version nationally. At least he did something (as much as I hate to admit it) to earn the raise, unlike some of our other corporate CEOs who profit while their companies implode. And this will probably be the one and only time you see me defend Bettman.

He's doing pretty well for having his thumbs up his ass.

So another bash Bettman thread... how original...

Another complaint about someone complaining abut people complaining about Bettman... How original... If you're not interested in commenting, don't. Just because you like it, it doesn't mean others should as well. See how that works? Bettman has done a wondrous job as commissioner. The players are making bank and the owners are making bank and the ratings just keep going up up and up. He tried expanding the NHL south like he should have and it has failed in two places while places like Tampa Bay, Nashville, Dallas and the California teams are thriving. Canada has another team now as well. Who the hell cares if hockey failed in Atlanta? Who cares if it is failing in Phoenix? How do those two teams personally affect you, given that the NHL is trying to expand it's demographic? If you run a league and aren't trying to globalize, then you are a terrible league commissionaire. Football expanded north, soccer expanded West, and hockey is expanding south. Deal with it.