If Bettman stepped down as commissioner....

[oldredbarnman 13]

I think Shanny would be a good commissioner, and I also would consider Bobby Orr.

[uk_redwing 495]

Andreas Lilja all the way.

Give the NHL a sexy new look.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Andreas Lilja all the way.

Give the NHL a sexy new look.

Even I can't think of a joke after that post. I guess on top of being a great fighter, Lilja is now also sexy?

[imisssergei 0]

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.

But what does this have to do with Bettman? People need to get it through their heads, Bettman does as he is told. He is nothing more than a highly paid errand boy for the owners.

[auxlepli 17]

But what does this have to do with Bettman? People need to get it through their heads, Bettman does as he is told. He is nothing more than a highly paid errand boy for the owners.

That Bettman is a puppet and any commissioner would be if the job description isn't changed.

It seems you missed my point.

[eva unit zero 271]

That Bettman is a puppet and any commissioner would be if the job description isn't changed.

It seems you missed my point.

Nobody missed your point. We just didn't see how changing the commissioner's capabilities had any relevance to Bettman stepping down. How do we know Bettman isn't the smartest hockey man ever, and the owners don't allow him to make any decisions? By changing the office as a result of him leaving, who's to say we don't get someone who makes all the wrogn decisions when given the power?

It's like saying "I don't like the job Granholm is doing. We should kick her out and change her office's duties completely because the powers she has don't work for what she should be doing." The action of kicking her out is due to dissatisfaction with performance vs expectation...but the altering of the position to encourage meeting the expectation might have altered her performance greatly.

[2probert4 8]

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.

Burke is a tool and that's putting it mildly.