FanNation

he shouldn't get toi make ANY plans, long-term, short-term, or NOW-term, he should just be fired, tarred, feathered, and sent back to the NBA, where he came from. The league can barely function in its OWN market, why is it looking to expand to where they have even LESS influence?

goCanada! | 09/24/07, 09:31 AM

I agree GO CANADA...the NHL will not get bigger and more popular and more successful until this idiot is removed from his position and we get a real TV deal. All this talk about expansion and crap. I think Canada should get more teams. I just hate when people talk trash about some of the teams that exist now as their argument. Any expansion or moving of any team should got to Canada but until this moron is removed from his position I don't see it or anything else truly beneficial to the NHL FANS happening, only to the owners and the "haves" in this sport are benefitting from his ruling of the league.

Tribe13 | 09/24/07, 09:45 AM

Yeah, what this league needs is to be more watered down. Contraction is the only thing that will improve the game, but money -hoarding owners will have nothing to do with it, because all they care about is cash, not the game. This league has nose-dived under Bettman. His grand vision has collapsed in the U.S. , and now they are looking to go to Europe? For what? The only players that play in Europe are NHL castoffs and wannabes. Where is the talent coming from? Right now, most teams are flooded with 3rd and 4th liners who are incapable of contributing in any offensive way. They are merely robots, who skate endlessly, hit everything that moves and are willing to dive on a grenade to prevent a goal. Although their heart is to be applauded, they add nothing to a paying customer's value who has paid a King's Ransom for tix and is instead treated to 4-5 skilled forwards and a bunch of muckers and grinders.

joec | 09/24/07, 10:35 AM

Expansion into Europe won't happen. The IIHF likely wouldn't let them go into countries where existing leagues are (and where the majority of the European players are - the ones Bettman is trying to court).

Throw in the travel logistics and expense, and it won't happen.

Spaceman Spiff | 09/24/07, 10:38 AM

While the NHL is methodically dissolving into an ineffectual nothing, I'll devote my time and money into the NCAA and AHL game.

adinfinitum8 | 09/24/07, 11:03 AM

Yeah! As if Bettman didn't scr*w things up enough on this side of the big pond! (DC)

DCruiser | 09/24/07, 11:17 AM

I dunno know about expansion into europe. If anything, they should set up a UEFA style tournament throughout the year. Have the top three clubs from major hockey league in the world face off.

rzarector36 | 09/24/07, 11:56 AM

Folks, Im from Czech republic and I have to say that NHL is very popular here. We appreciate weekend games, which start on 1:00 pm etc cos We can watch them on TV at acceptable time (here at 19:00). So Im looking forward to Ice Bowl, which starts at 1:00pm. Btw what the **** is Gary Bettman talking about?

ConservativeForce | 09/24/07, 12:39 PM

This would suck for the players. The jet lag before games would hurt their performance. MISTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!

IrishR#1 Is The Holy Goalie | 09/24/07, 01:03 PM

TRIAS...if you can figure out what Bettman is talking about please clue us all in on it because we are baffled as well.

Tribe13 | 09/24/07, 02:32 PM

Not only SHOULD you "never say never" to this, Bettman, you shouldn't be allowed to say anything more, EVER, about a great sport that you know NOTHING about! Come on owners, fire this moron! He has ruined hockey!!! What more will it take to get his sorry self out of the job?

kelseybay | 09/24/07, 02:52 PM

hopefully, with this jersey debacle, the joke that is the schedule, a relatively poorly chosen matchup in Europe (I understand WHY these teams were chosen, but why would you not put another good team up against the Ducks, put your best foot forward? Instead of making it a business decision, try and show some passion for the game that has made you so undeservedly rich, Bettman). Couple this with the lack of tv contract, TWO lockouts, one of which cost an entire season, and the fact that there is an apparent incumbent already in place (Bill Daly), and you have to wonder how the owners gave this knob a contract extension last year. (I guess coming through on the salary cap promise - which isn't really working, anyway - has got more legs than it deserves.) My guess is that the league's owners are waiting for him to run the league right into the ground so they can start a new, non-union league, haha

goCanada! | 09/24/07, 03:16 PM

I hate Bettman more than Pierre McGuire, and that is saying something

goCanada! | 09/24/07, 03:17 PM

Yeah, right! "A third of our players come from outside of North America and the hockey fans in those countries like to follow their players.". Oh yeah, there so many of them coming from England. Helsinki, Stockholm, Moscow, Prague or even Berlin were probably deemed cities with LESS NHL participation.
Gee, that guy is just stupid. Well, with a little bit of luck U.S. customs won't allow him back and then he can go screw up the Champion's League in soccer. He'll start the Bettman world tour of sports league ruining.... Next step: Kangaroo racing in Australia...

cmh_phx | 09/24/07, 03:24 PM

London? Seriously? They should be playing that game in either Stockholm, Helsinki, Prague or Moscow. In that case the LA-Anaheim game makes sense or else they should simply pit the Maple Leafs against one of the other Canadian teams or a team from the New York area, The NHL is a Canadian league. It should be expanding in Canada first. Quebec City, Winnipeg, Hamilton, ...

ndk221 | 09/24/07, 03:25 PM

Relax people! This is a Toronto Sun article. The NFL plays games in London, Tokyo, and Mexico City. I don't think that league is expanding to those places any time soon. There's a better chance of expanding to London, Ontario than London, England. Are you listening Jim Balsillie?

PopKing | 09/24/07, 08:28 PM

Contraction, contraction, contraction, contraction, contraction, contraction, contraction, contraction, contraction,contraction, contraction,contraction....oh yeah and a commissionor with a FRIGGIN' CLUE!!!!!!!!!!

ORANGE AND BLACK | 09/24/07, 09:45 PM

Why not move the entire league over there? Its glorified soccer (with fighting and just as boring)anyways and those Euros love bad teeth and soccer so it would be a perfect match. Also they could upgrade from the VS channle to the BBC.

kspice2834 | 09/24/07, 10:03 PM

I do not see this league ever expanding to Europe. I can see them starting a new league over there. It could be NHL Europe. That would be great because then the Eros can stay over there and we can have our North American game back.

Wings97 | 09/24/07, 11:01 PM

I hope Bettman doesnt get assassinated.

bostongm | 09/25/07, 12:42 AM