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Gary Bettman

NHL Upholds Brad Marchand’s Suspension

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has decided to uphold the six-game suspension of Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, releasing a 13-page ruling today. Marchand can now choose to appeal to a neutral arbitrator, though since he has already served four of the six games and will have finished the suspension by Monday, it would essentially only be to recoup some of the salary he has lost in this process.

In his ruling, Bettman states:

Finally, in reaching my conclusions I have given careful consideration to Mr. Marchand’s testimony concerning his efforts to control his emotions in order to excel as an impact player who plays aggressively, but within the rules. I believe that he has already made significant strides towards achieving this goal. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Marchand’s behavior and lack of judgment in respect of these incidents did not meet acceptable NHL standards. He created a distraction which reflected poorly on himself, on his team and on the League as a whole, and as such, I find he also deserves the penalty he received. Having said that, I encourage Mr. Marchand to reflect on this experience and to use it positively in furtherance of his efforts to refine and improve his on-ice image and game for everyone’s benefit.

In their defense of Marchand, the NHLPA tried to compare this incident to one in 2019 when Milan Lucic was given a two-game suspension for punching Kole Sherwood, one in 2019 when Joe Thornton was not given any supplementary discipline for punching Petr Mrazek, and one in 2019 when Radko Gudas received a two-game suspension for high-sticking Nikita Kucherov. All three were deconstructed by Bettman, with Marchand’s lengthy disciplinary history being one of the major factors to prove they were dissimilar.

Notably, it also explains that Marchand was being suspended for both the punch and the high-stick, leading to the six-game ban when combined with his history. The Bruins forward has now been suspended eight times and fined four times for physical fouls in his NHL career. Bettman explains just how serious this history is:

No active player has been suspended more times than Mr. Marchand; this is his eighth suspension. In addition, he has been fined four times for physical fouls. Although the on-ice penalty calls that resulted in supplementary discipline have varied in their specifics, all have involved serious violations, including elbowing, slew footing, clipping, roughing, spearing, cross-checking and (now) high sticking. It is, to say the least, an unenviable record. And (again), to make matters worse, Mr. Marchand’s most recent suspension prior to this one occurred less than three months ago, when he was suspended for three games for slew footing Vancouver Canucks player Oliver Ekman-Larsson on November 28, 2021.

An appeal to a neutral arbitrator would almost certainly take more than three days, meaning Marchand will be out for the next two matches regardless of what happens next. If he does go through with it and it is eventually reduced, it would provide the Bruins forward with two benefits. One, he would win back some of the money he has forfeited with this suspension, and two, the suspension would–while still on his record–appear as a shorter sentence.

NHLPA Files Appeal On Behalf Of Brad Marchand

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Feb 16: The appeal is taking place this afternoon in New York, where Marchand will plead his case to try and get a reduced sentence. He has already served three of his six games, with the Bruins going 1-2 in his absence.

Feb 11: The NHLPA has filed an appeal on behalf of Brad Marchand regarding his recent six-game suspension. The first appeal will be to commissioner Gary Bettman, after which Marchand can appeal to an independent arbitrator. Speaking to the media today, Marchand gave his thoughts on the suspension, and a three-game ban that he received earlier this season:

We believe that the last suspension was very hefty. When I got three games, it should have been one, based on the fact that I have turned my game around and become a pretty good player in this league. Like they said, you’re not going to escape the history part of it which ultimately set me up for this one. I’m not going to say or justify that what I did was right. But this was a very deep suspension for these actions. 

Marchand went on to suggest that the way suspensions and other supplementary discipline are handled in the NHL will be a big issue when it comes to negotiating the next CBA, and believes his actions, in this case, weren’t suspension-worthy on their own. It’s his history that obviously came into play here, given he has been suspended seven times in the past to go along with five fines.

He has already served one game of this six-game suspension, and it is currently scheduled to expire after the Bruins play the Colorado Avalanche on February 21. Even if he were to receive a reduced sentence from one of the levels of appeal, it may not necessarily get him back in the lineup any sooner, depending on how long it takes to go through the process. What it could do is save him some money, as Marchand is forfeiting nearly $450K with this current ban. Any reduction in the sentence could force the Bruins to pay him retroactively, even if it comes down after the games are missed.

If Boston can get him back any sooner though, it certainly would be an important change. The team is without Patrice Bergeron as he deals with a concussion and looked outclassed against the Carolina Hurricanes last night, losing 6-0 and being outshot 43-34. While Marchand may be a polarizing figure to many hockey fans, he’s arguably the most important forward on the Bruins roster and has 49 points through 39 games this year.

It’s not often that you find wingers that have received Hart and Selke trophy votes in five consecutive seasons but that’s exactly what Marchand has done, as he turned himself from agitating two-way player to one of the best all-around forwards in hockey. Any game without him in the lineup will leave Boston at a severe disadvantage, so getting him back is a top priority.

This is not the first suspension to be appealed this season. In December, Bettman decided to reduce Jason Spezza’s six-game suspension to four after the Toronto Maple Leafs forward filed an appeal. That case couldn’t be more different from this one though. Spezza’s actions were obviously a targeted attack on a player that he was angry with, but it was his long history of clean play that Bettman referenced when reducing the suspension. In this case, it was Marchand’s history that directly led to the league handing down such a “hefty” ban.

NHL Announces Several Key Events For 2022-23

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman took the podium today in Las Vegas to give an update on several topics, including some key events that will take place in 2022-23.

The 2023 NHL Winter Classic will feature the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park and will mark the fifth outdoor game for the team. The Bruins’ opponent has not yet been revealed, or the official date at this point. Fenway held the 2010 Winter Classic, where the Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime.

Next year’s All-Star festivities will be held in Sunrise, Florida, and will be hosted by the Florida Panthers for the first time since 2003. The event will take place over February 3-4, 2023 with the All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, as it is this year. The Panthers, one of the league’s most exciting teams, will likely have several participants again next year.

The Stadium Series will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, where the Carolina Hurricanes will host an outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the NC State Wolfpack. This will be the very first outdoor game for the Hurricanes, though their opponent has also not been announced yet. The Stadium Series date has also not yet been officially set for 2023.

On the upcoming 2022 draft that is currently scheduled for Montreal, Bettman explained that if Quebec’s current COVID restrictions have not changed by that point, the league may decide to take it somewhere else. He hopes to have not only the team representatives and players in person, but also fans in the stands.

The league will also return to Europe next season in the Global Series, with games scheduled for Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and the Czech Republic, though details on those games were not revealed.

Hall Of Famer Clark Gillies Passes Away At 67

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The hockey community, especially those in New York, has lost one of the greats. New York Islanders legend Clark Gillies has passed away at the age of 67, the team announced late Friday night. Gillies spent a dozen seasons in New York to begin his career and wrapped up his playing days with a pair of seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. Since retiring in 1988, he has worked closely with charities on Long Island, including his own Clark Gillies Foundation, and has stayed involved with the Islanders club.

Gillies is best remembered as a key piece of the Islanders early-1980’s dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups. Gillies played an integral role in each title, recording 250 points in 302 games in those regular seasons and 47 points in 66 postseason games as well. Gillies was the fourth overall pick by the Isles in 1974 out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and the WHL’s Regina Pats and jumped immediately into the NHL. It didn’t take long for him to find his groove, recording career-best seasons of 85 and 91 points in 1977-78 and 1978-79. For his career, Gillies notched 697 points in 958 games, only topped by his 1,025 career penalty minutes. The epitome of a power forward, the 6’3″ Gillies was notoriously tough to play against in all three zones. A physical net front presence, especially on the power play, and menacing checker, it was easy for Gillies’ teams to score when he was on the ice and far more difficult for the opposition, as evidenced by a whopping +245 rating for his career. The two-time First Team All-Star had his No. 9 retired by the Islanders in 1996 and was a 2002 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.

The Islanders, in announcing the sad news of Gillies’ passing, including a statement from GM and fellow Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello:

The entire Islanders community is devastated by the loss of Clark Gillies. He epitomized what it means to be a New York Islander. The pride he felt wearing the Islanders sweater on the ice was evident by his willingness to do anything to win. Off the ice, he was just as big of a presence, always taking the time to give back to the local community. The New York Islanders have four Stanley Cups because of the sacrifices he and the members of those dynasty teams made for the franchise. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Gillies family.

Many more have released statements sharing their condolences and expressing their appreciation for the role that Gillies played in a number of hockey communities, including NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, Pittsburgh Penguins great and close friend Mario Lemieux, and many former and current Islanders. It is clear that the charismatic and caring Gillies made a major impact on many lives.

We here at PHR extend our condolences to the family, friends, and many fans of Clark Gillies.

 

NHL Officially Withdraws From Olympic Participation

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Though there have been signs for weeks and reports over the last few days, the NHL had not officially confirmed whether or not they will be participating in the Olympics–until now. The league has issued a statement from commissioner Gary Bettman explaining their withdrawal from the Games, noting the same “profound” disruption that they had warned about:

The National Hockey League respects and admires the desire of NHL Players to represent their countries and participate in a ‘best on best’ tournament. Accordingly, we have waited as long as possible to make this decision while exploring every available option to enable our Players to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Unfortunately, given the profound disruption to the NHL’s regular-season schedule caused by recent COVID-related events — 50 games already have been postponed through Dec. 23 — Olympic participation is no longer feasible. We certainly acknowledge and appreciate the efforts made by the International Olympic Committee, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the Beijing Organizing Committee to host NHL Players but current circumstances have made it impossible for us to proceed despite everyone’s best efforts. We look forward to Olympic participation in 2026.

Our focus and goal have been and must remain to responsibly and safely complete the entirety of the NHL regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs in a timely manner. Therefore, with stringent health protocols once again in place, we will begin utilizing available dates during the Feb. 6-22 window (originally contemplated to accommodate Olympic participation) to reschedule games that have been, or may yet be, postponed.

Of note, this is not a joint release with the NHLPA. The NHL has taken the lead here, even though there were obvious concerns from the players as well. For their part, the NHLPA has released a statement from executive director Don Fehr:

Since the CBA extension was reached 17 months ago, NHL players have looked forward with great anticipation to once again participating in the Winter Olympics. Until very recently, we seemed to be on a clear path to go to Beijing. COVID-19 has unfortunately intervened, forcing dozens of games to be postponed this month alone. No matter how much we wish it were not the case, we need to utilize the Olympic period to reschedule these games.

Certainly, the players and hockey fans are quite disappointed. But playing a full 82-game season this year, something the pandemic has prevented us from doing since the 2018-19 season, is very important. We expect that NHL players will return to the Olympics in 2026.​

The players will continue to push for NHL participation in the 2026 Games, something that seems very far away at the moment. Those games will be held in Italy, hopefully with the best players in the world participating. To be clear, players are not allowed to individually opt into attending the 2022 Games without facing punishment from the league.

With the vast amount of postponements recently, there will be serious changes to the schedule in February.

Bettman Reduces Spezza Suspension To Four Games

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The appeal has been successful for Jason Spezza of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as his six-game suspension has been reduced to four. This was a decision made by commissioner Gary Bettman; had he maintained the full suspension, Spezza could have then appealed to a neutral arbitrator. With the reduction, Spezza is now eligible to play against Vancouver tomorrow night.

In the full nine-page ruling, Bettman include that though it was a clearly suspendable play, Spezza has an:

…admirable record of clean play over a nineteen season, 1,300 game career…this record support’s Mr. Spezza’s reputation for clean play and that he has never received a warning or counseling from [the Department of Player Safety] about conduct coming close to the line; and leads me to give Mr. Spezza the benefit of the doubt in terms of his intention.

The suspension has been upheld, meaning that it will go on Spezza’s record moving forward and be considered in any other supplementary discipline. Neal Pionk, the player involved, did suffer an injury on the play but missed just three games. Spezza can re-enter the Maple Leafs’ lineup immediately.

Gary Bettman: Olympic Participation “Ultimately A Players’ Decision”

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The NHL has more than a few concerns about participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Speaking with the media, including CBC’s Joshua Clipperton, following the conclusion of Friday’s Board of Governors meeting, Commissioner Gary Bettman didn’t shy away from expressing his hesitations either:

We have real concerns on a whole host of issues… We have concerns, and we’ve expressed those to the players’ association… Our concerns have only been magnified… I actually find it difficult to believe that a player would want to go…. I don’t think that this is going to be the ideal Olympic experience in terms of the lockdowns in the Olympic Village and everything else that’s going on.

The league’s apprehension is based mostly on the continued issues with the spread of the Coronavirus, not only across the league but on a global basis, China included. The NHL has seen the majority of its teams impacted by COVID-19 already this season, including at the cost of some games. Olympic participation would mean sending its biggest stars off, out of the protection of the league’s protocols and to the origin point of the virus and to protocols that have yet to be finalized and announced. In that same vein, Bettman discussed the possibility that China could mandate a three-week quarantine for any athletes who test positive for COVID and stated that he would be surprised if any NHLer would risk an additional three weeks in the country in order to play at the Olympics. Beyond the COVID conversation, there are also a number of political red flags as the governments of both Canada and the United States have become more vocal of late about the human rights violations taking place in China.

Yet, with all that said, Bettman is standing by his word. Barring a joint decision between the NHL and NHLPA – with Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly stating his expectation that the two sides would be on the same page should it reach this point – to disallow participation, the final decision will lie with the players themselves:

We made a promise to the players, and I’m going, to the best of our ability, adhere to it, understanding that there may be consequences that nobody’s gonna like… It’s not like we haven’t expressed our concerns. But in the final analysis, subject to some caveats, with all of the issues that are being raised… the players, for the most part, seem to continue to be saying they want to go… ultimately, this is going to have to be a players’ decision.

A return to the Olympics was in fact collectively bargained when the NHL and NHLPA agreed to a new CBA last year. The players have right to compete for gold if they so choose, though it is obvious that the league would rather they not. Bettman does note that more players have expressed their concerns of late, but will it be enough? That remains to be seen with time ticking away before the opt-out deadline of January 10 and the opening of the tournament in two months.

NHL Updates Salary Cap Projections

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly held media availability today from the board of governors meeting and updated several important issues. While noting that it will be an NHLPA decision on whether or not to participate in the Olympics, and reassuring that there is no issue with the Arizona Coyotes, perhaps the firmest news that Bettman could share was that of salary cap projections moving forward.

After announcing that hockey-related revenues will reach close to $5.2B for this season, the league will indeed increase the salary cap for next season by $1MM. That means an $82.5MM cap ceiling, the same number that was projected several months ago by Daily Faceoff.

Importantly though, Bettman explained that it will not take quite as long for the players to repay the escrow debt as originally expected. The league should be made whole at the end of the 2024-25 season, meaning a substantial salary cap increase could follow that summer. That’s a year earlier than many projections showed months ago, and speaks to just how well the revenues of the league have rebounded this season.

At the start of the year, the players owed more than $1B in escrow debt to the owners, and instead of all at once, have agreed to a slower repayment schedule. The escrow rate dropped this year from around 20 percent to 17 and is expected to drop to around 10 for the 2022-23 season.

For the teams that are in salary cap trouble at the moment, still trying to negotiate a ceiling that hasn’t moved in the last couple of years, a $1MM increase isn’t going to help very much. But the expectation of it spiking in 2025-26 is good news, especially for those that are trending toward a competitive window at that point.

Canada To Close Border To Unvaccinated Athletes

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As Coronavirus concerns persist, the clock is ticking for unvaccinated NHLers to travel freely across the Canadian border. The Canadian Press reports that the country has decided to end its current leniency toward athletes and will enforce its national COVID protocol. Beginning January 15, unvaccinated athletes will not be permitted to cross the border.

The announcement of this policy change came on Friday, as Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendocino stated that the border will be closing to unvaccinated and partially vaccinated athletes in the new year. It was Mendocino who worked through the details of the current national interest exemption, which allows unvaccinated professional and amateur athletes to travel across the border under conditions, but they will now repeal that agreement with the NHL, as well as the MLB, NBA, and MLS. While the stated purpose of the change is to align with the next stage of Canada’s COVID battle by improving vaccination rates, the requirement applies to athletes of all nationalities.

Fortunately, this should have a negligible effect on the NHL overall. Commissioner Gary Bettman announced at the beginning of the season that only four players on NHL rosters were unvaccinated. That number may need updating given roster transactions, but this policy change will still be of no concern to more than 99% of players. While the league has never formally revealed the names of those initial four names, Detroit’s Tyler Bertuzzi and New Jersey’s Mackenzie Blackwood had been individually confirmed and, if still not fully vaccinated, would not be permitted to travel to Canada after January 15 and per NHL rules could be suspended by their teams for those absences. However, those are the few cases of concern out of hundreds of NHL players, making this change of little consequence to the league.

Government Of Quebec Talks With NHL About Potential Nordiques Return

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On this week’s edition of Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts intermission segment, Jeff Marek reported “public musings” from Quebec premier Francois Legault about the revival of the Quebec Nordiques, who played their last NHL season in 1994-95 before relocating to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche.

It continues what’s been a long-running push to bring NHL hockey back to Quebec City, but at virtually every point, the NHL has remained uninterested. While it’s unknown if their stance as changed, Legault has said publicly this week that the Quebec government plans to meet with commissioner Gary Bettman.

It’s strong messaging from Legault, who Marek reports went on to say that the government of Quebec would be willing to invest their capital in a project that would see the Nordiques return to Quebec. Marek notes that this project would be a consortium — rather, not a single investor or group that would be financially responsible for funding the team.

In terms of recent history, it seems unprecedented that a provincial government would provide significant financial backing for a professional sports team.

Marek reports that NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirms that he’s spoken over the phone with Legault, and while Daly admits dialogue may continue, he says “[the league] is obviously pleased with what we have right now.”

It’s worth noting that Quebec City does have a suitable venue in place. The Videotron Centre, which opened in September 2015, has a capacity of 18,259 for ice hockey. That’s greater capacity than highly regarded NHL arenas such as Madison Square Garden, the fresh-off-the-press UBS Arena, T-Mobile Arena, and TD Garden.

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