Gary Bettman has been the target of scrutiny and angry, pejorative words from the players throughout the NHL lockout process, and from a general public that feels like its watching a replay of a 2004-05 movie they hated the first time around. He was called an idiot by Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ian White, and both he and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly were called cancers to the game by Florida Panthers forward Kris Versteeg.
Not so surprisingly the 30 NHL owners -- or 29 owners if you consider that the league is basically running the Phoenix Coyotes -- that Bettman speaks for have been largely spared the harsh words and insulting jibes during the 67 days and counting of the current lockout. Those owners are the ones that sign the NHL players paycheck and will ultimately becomes their bosses again once the NHL season resumes, and most players are still wary of biting the hand that feeds them.
Coyotes' tough guy Paul Bissonnette has always been a thoughtful, fun personality within the game, and he brought his always-interesting perspective to that whole dynamic during a Wednesday morning interview with Sirius XM Home Ice Radio. It also appears that he isnt going to be playing for the Bruins anytime soon after lighting up Bs owner Jeremy Jacobs, looked at by just about everybody as the hawk-ish owner bloodlessly driving the lockout bus.
"I just try to stay away from carving up anyone. Gary Bettman is just trying to do his job. I know that's against what we're about as far as the players are concerned, said Bissonnette. But I know he's the messenger. If they're going to pay him 8 million to save them hundreds of millions, well there are a lot of people listening that would do the same job for the money he makes.
I'm more upset with a guy like Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs. It just sounds so hypocritical for him to think the last CBA was so awful and how garbage it was, and then go out and sign three of his top guys right before the last one expired. If it was that bad, why rush to sign those guys? Why not wait until the new CBA comes?
The Bs contracts Bissonnette is referring to are the deals Jacobs okayed for Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin immediately prior to the Sept. 15 lockout starting datewith at least Seguins six-year deal flying in the face of what the NHL is seeking for player contract rights in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
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