[Gotham Dark Knight]

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Gary Bettman spoke glowingly about the state of the NHL, hours before the start of a Stanley Cup final very few were expected to watch on television.
"Things are good, our vital signs are strong and we have tremendous optimism about the future of our game," the commissioner said Monday night before the Edmonton Oilers faced the Carolina Hurricanes in the opener of the best-of-seven series.

Considering that the NHL was shut down by a lockout last year, having a game to show certainly demonstrated progress.

But Monday's contest was on OLN, the league's new cable partner that is finishing its first season televising hockey. It's a network that has proved hard to find on many cable systems and not available everywhere on standard service.
The NHL switched to OLN after the lockout when a new deal with ESPN couldn't be reached. Bettman was most pleased with the network's growth from 64 million homes to 70 million over the course of the year, and cited coverage he called saturating as a plus.

Anyone feel that hockey would be better served without Bettman?...Any suggestions on who would be better in the role?

[Lefty Noob]

The best TV deal he could get the NHL here in the U.S. was the Outdoor Life Channel. Even forgetting the lockout, that alone should be enough to seal his fate. Hockey is a fast, furious, fun and intense game that has been marketed wrong to us Americans for years. Yes, I think Bettman is largely to blame for his sports failure to properly capitalize on all of the opportunities.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

The best TV deal he could get the NHL here in the U.S. was the Outdoor Life Channel. Even forgetting the lockout, that alone should be enough to seal his fate. Hockey is a fast, furious, fun and intense game that has been marketed wrong to us Americans for years. Yes, I think Bettman is largely to blame for his sports failure to properly capitalize on all of the opportunities.

Yep...he can say what he wants..but in part...he killed hockey...So who is worse Bettman or Bud Selig?

[Lefty Noob]

Bettman, for now. For all of baseball's problem, it isn't in as much trouble as the NHL. But it certainly seems to be headed in that direction, right? With the steroid mess and the situation with some of these teams (like K.C.) bound to refuel the contraction argument, baseball better get someone who knows what they're doing in as the next commish. When's Selig retiring again? Not soon enough, that's for sure.

But to keep it on Bettman... who could be brought in to replace him and save hockey? Any ideas?