Gary Bettman League Quotations

The National Hockey League will miss Brett's skill, his scoring touch and his fun-loving attitude,

The National Hockey League will miss Brett's skill, his scoring touch, and his fun-loving attitude. He was a splendid athlete, a passionate player, and someone who never hesitated to speak his mind. His achievements further cement the Hull family legacy of hockey greatness.

I thought that in light of the new era that we were ushering in, there would be no better indication of the fact that the players and the league are working together to move things forward that the best indication of that would be to have Ted here. And perhaps even more important, I thought it was important for the governors to hear what's on the players' mind.

In an increasingly dynamic sports and entertainment marketplace, new technology and entertainment vehicles have impacted the way sports leagues function and how we deliver the NHL experience to our business partners and fans,

All of our proposals have been intended to create a framework where we're paying the players what we can afford to pay. ... We simply want to run the National Hockey League in a way where we're paying the players their fair share - namely, what we can afford.

Clearly, our league and our game have undergone tremendous change. The 2005-06 season is still young, but everyone from casual fans to expert commentators like many of you here today concurs that NHL hockey has been reinvigorated,

Over the years, thousands of great NHL moments were presented to our fans through the lenses of ESPN cameras. ESPN was a supportive partner, and both the National Hockey League and ESPN enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship. We wish ESPN continued success.

For me, I prefer to stay in the moment. I'm not looking for a fight. I'm looking for a solution to the economic issues confronting our game. Idle threats will not address these issues. We have a year remaining on the current collective bargaining agreement and, used properly, that is more than ample time in which to negotiate a new agreement. The National Hockey League has been prepared and remains prepared to begin formal collective bargaining negotiations on a moment's notice.