Bettman Says Economy's Impact On NHL Soon To Be Determined

Bettman Says Spring Sales Will Determine Economy's Effect On NHL

ADJUSTING ON THE FLY: In Pittsburgh, Dave Molinari reported Penguins GM Ray Shero "suspects the economic downturn might trigger a salary cap decrease that will affect negotiations" with players. The salary cap maximum is "based on league-wide, revenues and while the ongoing crisis -- compounded by a decline in the value of the Canadian dollar -- doesn't figure to have much of an impact on the 2009-10 cap because most tickets and corporate sponsorships had been paid for before the economy went into free-fall, there are growing fears that the ceiling will drop in the season after that." Shero: "Whether or not the following year there's going to be an adjustment, or the year after that another adjustment, we'll have to wait and see. If that's going to be the case, you have to have that flexibility to adjust. That's something we're always looking at -- and something we're seriously looking at at this point" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 12/21). 

INSTANT CLASSIC? In a Q&A with the CHICAGO TRIBUNE's Chris Kuc, Bettman said of the January 1 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, "We think this is going to be a great event. All the feedback I'm getting from my staff in Chicago is that everything is on track." Bettman added, "This is going to be a real feel-good story. It's a unique event. It's at a special time of the year. It's going to give sports fans something really fun to focus on as we take the game back to its roots outdoors" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/21).

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