NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Saturday during his state of the league address "expressed in no uncertain terms that he has no concerns about the Penguins' future or their ownership," according to Jonathan Bombulie of the PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW. Bettman said, "The franchise is in strong hands with Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux. For a variety of reasons, some of them which may be personal, they're exploring their options, but their support of the franchise has never wavered, and they've been great owners. If they choose to make some adjustments, I'm sure they'll do only what's in the best interest long term of the franchise.” Bombulie noted Lemieux and Burkle "announced in June they were exploring a sale of at least part of their stake in the team" (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 1/31).
WORK IN PROGRESS: On Long Island, Neil Best noted Bettman acknowledged that the Islanders’ move to Brooklyn this season "has been a work in progress." However, he said that he is "pleased with how the transition has gone through the first half of the season." Bettman: "Obviously, the building wasn’t designed for hockey. I think the people at Barclays have been doing a good job of adjusting. I think over time it’s only going to get better ... in terms of the fan experience, and I’ve seen that as I’ve gone to games. The game presentation is getting better and the fans are getting more comfortable in what is a state- of-the-art arena compared to what they were in, which was not so good anymore" (NEWSDAY, 1/31).
