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Gary Bettman tells fans and players he doesn't care what they think and only he decides the rules

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Joshua Deeds
February 5, 2023  (11:08)
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Gary Bettman held his annual press conference yesterday before the All-Star Game was played. Bettman was there to discuss with the media, multiple goings-on in the league and no one really liked the answers offered.

Debate of 1 vs. 8, it's not just that. You've got to also look at then changing the wild card & you've got to start looking at the matchups in terms of how many times everybody's playing everybody else if you're having conference-based playoffs.

Gary Bettman alluded to the complexities of changing the playoff format, is the reason why they're keeping it the same. He also made mention of changing the Wild-Card formats, along with a return to Conference Playoffs, if the change did occur.

Honestly, this is just an excuse to keep the format as is, especially after Sidney Crosby came for the current format in the public sphere. Bettman is here to save face for himself and the board of governors, which isn't possible. With Crosby attacking the format, you have to question what the NHLPA really has to say about it. Bettman says that 2/3rds of the General Managers in the league are okay with it, but they also get paid to say so.

The re-alignment occurred in 2013-2014, in order to create and foster rivalries and ignore the legacy rivalries built throughout the history in the NHL. With news of viewership down and TV Blackouts happening, it looks like the NHL has figured out how to simultaneously piss off the fanbase and squeeze us out of cold-hard cash for a mediocre product now with advertisements.

Bettman also made comments about expanding overtime and how he believes it's a bad idea, essentially shutting down what players and fans want to see.

Bettman said expanding overtime to 10 minutes puts first- and second-line players at risk of wearing down. Yet now he just said #NHLAllStar Weekend is essential to allow players to rest and recover... Except for those same first- and second-line players he's "concerned" about.

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