If Bettman stepped down as commissioner....

[Booster313 138]

I'd be willing to replace Bettman with a rented mule for commissioner at this point. He sounds like a jackass anyway when he's on TV talking about how great he thinks the status of the game is, and how Versus is watched by millions of households around the country. Bettman is living in his own little fantasy world.

I agree that a rock could do a better job as commish but that being said, what can he say. At this point he's already made his bed with VS and he has to sleep in it at least for the next year and a half. He can't very well say that no one watches and he hates the network as a whole.

[Hiei 192]

1. Stevie Y

2. Chris fricken Chelios

3. Scotty Bowman

4. Ken Dryden

...

6797. A Bag of pucks

6798. Brian Burke

....

508123. A whiff of Sawdust

508124. A flaming bag of cow dung

508125. Sean Avery

[Guest DetroitIan]

Well, since Cheli will probably play until he's 50. I'll go with Hull(if we're going by the poll choices). Hull seams like the kind of guy who knows what's good for the game and will make the correct decisions to improve and maintain the NHL.

Edited December 11, 2007 by DetroitIan

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

If Gary Bettman stepped down as NHL Commissioner, who would you replace him with?

George W. Bush, or a lump of coal.

In all seriousness, not all problems are the fault of Gary Bettman in spite of the many OMG BETTMAN IS A DUMBIE SCHMUCK BLOCKHEAD DOOFUS posts we might see in here or in other places, but with that being said, from an overall fan perspective, I just don't get him, he seems to live in deniability of everything that could be a possible road block, like everything in the NHL is hunky dory.

While I don't pay that much attention to the business side of the league, from what I've seen/read in the past though, most owners love him. I just wish I could be in the shoes of an owner of an NHL franchise for a day (1) because I'd make lots of money in one day, more than I'd probably make in a year , but for tihs particular reason/thread (2) to try to really understand why the owners really like him.

I don't get it.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

I'd go with Burke. He's a lawyer and a hockey man. That's the ideal credentials for a commissioner.

Dryden is anti-fighting, so I'm not too sure I'd like him as commish.

Agreed on both counts. I'd be absolutely against Dryden, thats what i was going to post when i seen his name first mentioned here. HELL NO.

[Heaton 1]

If Bettman stepped down nothing would change. The owners run this league, not Bettman.

[eva unit zero 271]

Burke is absolutely the wrong choise, and I'll tell you why:

People often say 'replace Bettman with a hockey guy to fix the on-ice game' without realizing one important fact. The on-ice game is the responsibility of the Director of Hockey Operations, the position currently held by Colin Campbell. People generally agree hockey is better now in most ways than it was from 93-98. Guess who had Campbell's job from 93-98? Yep...Brian Burke.

I support the idea of Dryden. Yes, he's anti-fighting...but he's also a very smart hockey guy and a lawyer.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I think a lot of people are missing the attempted humor of the people listed on that Sportsnet poll.

[auxlepli 17]

If Bettman stepped down nothing would change. The owners run this league, not Bettman.

That's a good point. That's also a problem the NHL and MLB - the commissioners are puppets of the owners. The commissioners should act in the best interest of the leagues and independently of the owners and players.

[jerm8352 3]

Sean Avery ?

He's as dumb as a bag of hamers.

I think Bettman is a ego-maniac, but I must admit: He's a fairly intelligent man, let's be honest about that.

You might want to spell "hammers" right for that statement to have the full impact you intend!

[eva unit zero 271]

That's a good point. That's also a problem the NHL and MLB - the commissioners are puppets of the owners. The commissioners should act in the best interest of the leagues and independently of the owners and players.

The commissioner is not an autonomous executive who can do whatever he pleases. He has to do what the owners want him to do, or he gets fired. When there is disagreement between th eowners, it's his job to mediate and figure out what the best solution is, but it's not his job to singlehandedly go against what the owners say "for the greater good."

[TheLegend19 1]

I'd be willing to replace Bettman with a rented mule for commissioner at this point. He sounds like a jackass anyway when he's on TV talking about how great he thinks the status of the game is, and how Versus is watched by millions of households around the country. Bettman is living in his own little fantasy world.

I was thinking more along the lines of a pack of squirrels.

[stlwing14 0]

Out of those choices I would take Chelios, but the next one is going to be Shanahan once he retires after this season. Or so we hockey nuts hope.

Brian Burke? Seriously, that was a choice?

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Burke is absolutely the wrong choise, and I'll tell you why:

People often say 'replace Bettman with a hockey guy to fix the on-ice game' without realizing one important fact. The on-ice game is the responsibility of the Director of Hockey Operations, the position currently held by Colin Campbell. People generally agree hockey is better now in most ways than it was from 93-98. Guess who had Campbell's job from 93-98? Yep...Brian Burke.

I support the idea of Dryden. Yes, he's anti-fighting...but he's also a very smart hockey guy and a lawyer.

Sorry but if you're anti-fighting, you arent a very smart hockey guy imo. This is an element thats been important to the game since forever.

[IceMunkee 15]

Burke is absolutely the wrong choise, and I'll tell you why:

People often say 'replace Bettman with a hockey guy to fix the on-ice game' without realizing one important fact. The on-ice game is the responsibility of the Director of Hockey Operations, the position currently held by Colin Campbell. People generally agree hockey is better now in most ways than it was from 93-98. Guess who had Campbell's job from 93-98? Yep...Brian Burke.

I support the idea of Dryden. Yes, he's anti-fighting...but he's also a very smart hockey guy and a lawyer.

Hockey better now then 93-98??? Are you crazy??? 93-98 was pretty much the best time hockey has ever had in the ratings and in the game. Basically from 94' for two reasons; Rangers win the Stanley Cup champions, and the impact NHL video games had on the youth.

I just gotta disagree with you there man.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Hockey better now then 93-98??? Are you crazy??? 93-98 was pretty much the best time hockey has ever had in the ratings and in the game. Basically from 94' for two reasons; Rangers win the Stanley Cup champions, and the impact NHL video games had on the youth.

I just gotta disagree with you there man.

I 100% agree with you here. Hockey was extremely entertaining to me in that time frame, nowadays comes nowhere near to matching that with me.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Burke is absolutely the wrong choise, and I'll tell you why:

People often say 'replace Bettman with a hockey guy to fix the on-ice game' without realizing one important fact. The on-ice game is the responsibility of the Director of Hockey Operations, the position currently held by Colin Campbell. People generally agree hockey is better now in most ways than it was from 93-98. Guess who had Campbell's job from 93-98? Yep...Brian Burke.

I support the idea of Dryden. Yes, he's anti-fighting...but he's also a very smart hockey guy and a lawyer.

you're really going to back that up with something.

Maybe by 98 clutch and grab had taken hold (pardon the pun) but in 93 and 94 hockey was probably the most popular it's ever been, and very entertaining compared to how it' been since.

[jerm8352 3]

I have to agree too. In fact, I would almost say that the hockey now is worse than it was just before the lockout. It's the phantom penalties. When you spend at least half of the game on special teams, it ceases to be hockey as I know it.

[auxlepli 17]

you're really going to back that up with something.

Maybe by 98 clutch and grab had taken hold (pardon the pun) but in 93 and 94 hockey was probably the most popular it's ever been, and very entertaining compared to how it' been since.

Well agree with eva unit zero, but maybe it's not that far back, and I can't speak to that as I became an NHL fan in '95. I don't know if I can back it up, but from what I've seen there's less clutching and grabbing post-lockout than pre-lockout and that's a very good thing.

[Barrie 900]

If Bettman stepped down nothing would change. The owners run this league, not Bettman.

Yup, Bettman's a puppet for the Owners and they love him. IF Bettman stepped down, they'd get someone almost exactly the same.

[imisssergei 0]

Getting rid of Bettman would do the NHL about as much good as would the U.S. getting rid of Bush.

Both are puppets who do what they are told. They only difference is that Bettman has an extensive vocabulary.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Getting rid of Bettman would do the NHL about as much good as would the U.S. getting rid of Bush.

Both are puppets who do what they are told. They only difference is that Bettman has an extensive vocabulary.

Another difference is that Bettman's tenure won't be up in a year like Bush's. Bettman will be around forever, which is why he needs to be removed ASAP.

[imisssergei 0]

Another difference is that Bettman's tenure won't be up in a year like Bush's. Bettman will be around forever, which is why he needs to be removed ASAP.

You missed the point. Bettman isn't doing anything wrong. He is told what to do. He is just the face for what the NHL owners want to happen. If you want to blame anyone, blame the owners.

[auxlepli 17]

You missed the point. Bettman isn't doing anything wrong. He is told what to do. He is just the face for what the NHL owners want to happen. If you want to blame anyone, blame the owners.

That's why the commissioner needs some autonomy from the owners and players. Baseball's was like that. I don't see it happening in the NHL, but it would be an ideal situation.

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

My vote is for Shanahan for comish. Maybe it is time for a good hockey movie there hasnt been one since Slapshot or Youngblood and Miracle