Parenting & Family Quote by Gary Bettman

Bettman is doing crisis PR in the register of pep talk, and the tension is the point. As the NHL’s commissioner, he’s often cast as the suit who turns “the game” into a labor spreadsheet, so the insistence that hockey is “too good” reads like a deliberate appeal over the heads of owners, players, and negotiators straight to the one constituency that can’t bargain back: kids and fans.

The intent is damage control with a soft heart. “There’s a lot of hockey being played at all levels” is a subtle decoupling of hockey-the-sport from NHL-the-business, reminding people the game survives outside the league’s current mess. It’s also a preemptive answer to the fear that a lockout or stalled season doesn’t just pause entertainment; it interrupts identity, community, and the youth pipeline. “Get involved” isn’t just wholesome encouragement. It’s an investment pitch for the grassroots ecosystem that keeps arenas full, cable deals valuable, and the next generation of stars in motion.

Then comes the corporate promise dressed up as reassurance: “We will be back… better than ever.” That’s the familiar post-disruption script - don’t interrogate the cause, trust the rebound. The subtext is that the pain is temporary and, implicitly, necessary. Ending with “Don’t give up” tries to convert frustration into loyalty, framing patience as fandom’s moral duty. It works because it speaks to hockey’s self-image: tough, persistent, communal. It also reveals the league’s anxiety: once fans learn they can live without the NHL, “as soon as possible” becomes less a timeline than a plea.