"A wash in bad publicity and flagging television
numbers, the NHL administration of Gary Bettman seems to be
rather stuck in quicksand, bereft of fresh ideas," according
to Damien Cox of the TORONTO STAR. Cox: "Bettman's peculiar
speech in Toronto this week was just another indication of
this reality as it included the rather bizarre argument that
rocketing salaries aren't what is hurting NHL hockey in
Canada, but rather the lack of government and tax support."
Cox says its is unfair to "blame the Canadian tax system"
when the country, "partially through tax dollars, develops
the majority of talent Bettman and his American cohorts use
virtually for free to sell tickets and TV contracts." Cox:
"How much does the NHL owe Canada as compensation for [Eric]
Lindros and [Wayne] Gretzky?" Cox calls Bettman's speech
"just another bad outing in a troubled year for the Kingdom
of Bettman" and adds that the "fundamental problem of this
administration has always been that it gets caught up in the
bells and whistles ... and has not only allowed the product
to slide, but has positioned it so it can't but worsen
gradually over the next few years" (TORONTO STAR, 4/17).
