Breadcrumb Trail links
The commissioner’s Edmonton visit was the third stop on his traditional tour of Stanley Cup playoff host cities — a tour he hasn’t been able to take for the last two seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media before the start of the 2022 NHL all-star weekend at T-Mobile Arena on Feb. 4, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Ethan Miller /Getty Images
Article content
Gary Bettman missed the campfire camaraderie. But all those fans were cool.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not been loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Just for old times sake the NHL Commissioner probably would have loved it if the Edmonton Oilers had cleared out the finally-opened Ice Plaza area of Ice District at Rogers Place after Game 2 Wednesday and built a bonfire.
By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails or any newsletter. Postmedia Network Inc | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300
Thanks for signing up!
Article content
“I lived in Edmonton for three weeks — well, I didn’t live in all of Edmonton. I lived in a three-square-block area where Mayor Stephen Mandel and Oilers’ owner Daryl Katz’s vision came together,” he remembered.
Article content
“It’s funny two years later that I’d look back on that as such a warm memory. But our head of broadcasting Ivan Gottesfeld used to make fires there at night and we’d sit around the bonfire.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At least I hope it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said the NHL Commissioner of checking into the JW Marriott where he spent the entire mandated week of COVID-19 quarantine prior to Game 1 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not been loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Bettman looked out his hotel room window during his quarantine period and saw the lonely Tim Hortons truck surrounded by picnic tables where players could sit outside and get some fresh air in the afternoons. In the evenings, Bettman remembered nostalgically prior to Game 2 with the Los Angeles Kings, the NHL executives claimed the area. Wednesday looking at the area where 2,200 fans were being fired up in its intended use for the second time in three evenings.
Bettman’s Edmonton visit was the third stop on his traditional tour of Stanley Cup playoff host cities — a tour he hasn’t been able to take for the last two seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic.
You knew that Edmonton would be one of his first stops.
In Carolina Monday and Calgary Tuesday, he and NHL media relations companion John Dellapina were scheduled to fly from here to Tampa Bay and Fort Lauderdale.
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not been loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
I’ve always believed if there’s one city and one building in the NHL where this NHL Commissioner should never be booed, it’s in Edmonton where he played a significant role to save the franchise and then did the same to get Rogers Place built.
Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates with the Stanley Cup following the series-winning victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on September 28, 2020. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty Images
Two years ago here Bettman finally was able to present the Cup without getting booed due to the fact that there were no fans in the stands. Wednesday he was here to embrace the exceptional scene Edmonton creates with capacity crowds for Stanley Cup playoff games and convey the message that everybody involved missed them.
“Our game and our players get an enormous energy from our fans and to experience this is just fantastic,” he said.
“It’s just great for the game and great for the players.
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not been loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“What this represents is not just with our game but where we play our games is that we’re back to getting normal.
“And I think everybody is craving normal.”
It definitely wasn’t normal when Bettman was here two years ago as Edmonton played host to 81 Stanley Cup Hub City games in the bubble and he eventually presented the Stanley Cup to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Arriving back and looking back, Bettman said it could only be judged as a total triumph.
During the lead-up to the decision to make Edmonton the host with the most games including the semi-final and finals, there seemed to be a rumor de jour of a different city that the NHL was leaning to.
“That got misconstructed,” said Bettman.
“What happened was that COVID was breaking out in different areas. We were always going to do two bubbles. Edmonton was always one of the finalists but I made the decision at the time because Toronto and Edmonton were less than affected by COVID than any of the other cities that we were considering.
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not been loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“We could not have asked for anything more when it came to Edmonton.
“With the support we received from the city and the way the complex and the bubble were set up, it couldn’t have worked any better for us and we were thrilled to present the 2020 Stanley Cup in Edmonton.
“We did 33,000 tests over two months and didn’t have one positive test. Everybody felt good about being here and everybody left feeling everything was first-rate.”
The New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning shake hands after Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on Sept. 17, 2020. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty Images
You’d figure that a priority of Bettman’s stop in Calgary would be to make the rounds holding meetings in an attempt to get a new arena in Calgary back on the rails.
But that wasn’t it at all he said.
“There’s nothing going on with respect to a new building at this moment. That wasn’t the purpose of my visit. I was there to take in a playoff game and I always enjoy seeing the Sea of Red,” he said.
“We got it done in Edmonton. And ultimately there is no question that Calgary needs a new arena. Whether it’s for hockey, concerts or family shows. I remain optimistic the city will figure this out.”
Bettman was in a terrific mood Wednesday because most everything was well in his world.
The NHL changed US broadcast partners this season, going back after decades of separation, to ESPN.
“For the first night of the playoffs, the Carolina-Boston game was the highest-rated first game of the playoffs in 20 years.”
Share this article on your social network
Advertisement 1
This advertisement has not been loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encouraging all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Comments are closed.