“No commissioner has more power over his sport than Gary Bettman”

The NHL is well and is in good financial health and one of the reasons for this success is Gary Bettman.

The commissioner has been in office since 1993. In addition, he made it possible to make the national league a real league side by side with several expansions in the south and west of the United States.

Of the four commissioners at the head of the four largest sports leagues in North America. Similarly, Bettman is by far the one with the most seniority.

According to Ellipotte Friedman. In addition, in the 32 Toughts podcast, he is also the one who would have the most power over her sport.

After a 32-year-old career at the head of the NHL, Bettman would have too much control over the League and the owners?

Friedman says it would be one of the reasons that pushed the Fenway Sports Group to put the Pittsburgh. Penguins club on sale for the sum of $ 1.75 billion.

Fenway Sports Group is also the owner of the Red Soxs of Boston. Liverpool FC and RFK Racing, and the organization is used to having more control over its teams.

The departure of David Beeston. the main hockey lover of the group, also contributed to the loss of interest for an NHL team.

Nevertheless. Fenway Sports Group will have a good blow with the team that the company acquired in November 2021 for an amount of $ 900 million and that it could resell for almost double this amount four years later.

“no commissioner more power over

The Chicago-based Hoffmann family. who owns the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, has emerged as a serious contender to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins from Fenway Sports Group, per @FriedgeHNIC.

The sale price is expected to be in the $1.75 billion range should it close. pic.twitter.com/4GCH0CGpMe

— SleeperNHL (@SleeperNHL) August 18, 2025

A worse investment!

However, we can question Bettman’s stranglehold on the NHL.

Has the commissioner have too much control over his sport?

And if so, is this a problem for the NHL?

As we know. he can sometimes be stubborn, as we have seen in the Coyotes of Phoénix file, but overall, most of his decisions were beneficial for the League, therefore difficult to be critical of all of his work.

However. after 32 years at the head of the national league, it might be time to bring a new vision a little younger to hockey.

“no commissioner more power over

"no commissioner more power over – "no commissioner more power over

Burst

– CF Victory Montreal.

+3️⃣ AU STADE SAPUTO 🚀

AND WE GET THE W 💪#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/h6OR1r7ffU

— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) August 24, 2025

– Gorgeous!

This sequence from @CFMontreal 😮‍💨

Dante Sealy sends it home for the lead. pic.twitter.com/yKGxdizpoH

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 24, 2025

– The goal of victory.

+3️⃣ AU STADE SAPUTO 🚀

AND WE GET THE W 💪#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/h6OR1r7ffU

— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) August 24, 2025

– A point of 62 virgins!

Earlier in the half, @BuffaloBills TE Zach Davidson had a 62-yard punt.

Yes, you read that correctly 💥 pic.twitter.com/PGdIEOKKuB

— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2025

– A Quebec podium.

Marc-Antoine Camirand at the top of “no commissioner more power over a Quebec triple in Mirabelhttps: //t.co/h9f6nmb9yx

— RDS (@RDSca) August 24, 2025