Gary Bettman is fed up with criticism of the NHL's new overtime.
In his speaking appearance at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, and the morning after Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask became the latest NHL player to critique the format, the NHL commissioner was a touch sour in his response to the idea that 3-on-3 is not "real hockey."
"Shut up. Don't complain," Bettman said, according to NESN's Nicholas W. Goss. "Why would you demean your own product?"
It's been a rough day for Bettman, who in addition to having his engagement picked apart online, saw his 20-game suspension levied to Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman chopped down to 10 by a neutral arbitrator.
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On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, continues. This week, we're freewheeling, diving into the Anaheim Ducks' Stanley Cup chances and an unrestricted free agent who gets no press - Brian Campbell.
Ian McLaren: Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray deserves much credit for waiting out a seemingly disastrous start to the season and allowing head coach Bruce Boudreau to right the ship. After going 1-8-1 while scoring only 10 goals in 10 October games, the Ducks are now within striking distance of the Pacific Division lead and appear poised for a deep and successful playoff run.
Two numbers stick out as primary evidence to back that up. On one hand, the Ducks have a Corsi For rating of 53.2 at five-on-five, behind only Los Angeles and Dallas. Meanwhile, they sit dead last in shooting percentage at 5.88.
Add it up, and the Ducks are a high-end possession team at even strength that hasn't enjoyed the puck luck to make good on regularly out-attempting the opposition.
If that shooting percentage begins to creep up to league average, Anaheim could be the force to be reckoned with in the postseason.
Justin Cuthbert: What does a soon-to-be 37-year-old defenseman with an enduring game and more than $50 million in career earnings do in unrestricted free agency?
Anything he so chooses.
Barring an unexpected in-season contract agreement, Brian Campbell - who's not the most talked-about member of the Florida Panthers' ascendant blue line, but who's been earning his $7-million salary - will reach free agency with options aplenty.
Campbell would most certainly be welcomed back by the budget Panthers, though likely at a reduced rate. He could spring elsewhere for the largest long-term contract tabled to his management team. Or, he could satiate a market in need, say in Edmonton or Colorado.
But at his age, and having cashed in prior to the NHL salary squeeze, the most attractive option may be leaving millions on the table to chase a second Stanley Cup.
The most obvious and perhaps most likely championship destination is Chicago, the city where he met his wife and an organization that was forced to move his current contract after its first of three Cups this century.
Steven Stamkos will dominate headlines the summer, should his stalemate get that far. But based on what he chooses, Campbell could be the most impactful free-agent add in the short term.
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The Edmonton Oilers have activated center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins from injured reserve Friday, the club announced.
The 22-year-old hasn't played since sustaining a hand injury on Jan. 18. He has eight goals and 22 assists in 46 games - which are slightly disappointing numbers after back-to-back 56-point seasons and a career-high 24 goals last season.
Nugent-Hopkins was left off Team North America's initial 16-man roster for the coming World Cup of Hockey, but is a strong candidate to be added before the June 1 deadline.
Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli is the man in charge of Team North America, and Nugent-Hopkins' omission led to obvious speculation about the center's place on the Oilers, and how the decision would effect their relationship.
"These are hard decisions," Chairelli said. "At the end of the day, I'm a real big fan of Ryan's. He's got a real good two-way component to his game, he plays against the top centers and he has for a long time for a player of such a young age."
The Oilers are in action Saturday, home to the Arizona Coyotes, and Nugent-Hopkins - signed through 2019-20 at $6 million per season - should be on the ice.
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Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane will not face criminal charges following an investigation by the Erie County District Attorney's office in regards to a sexual encounter in late December.
A formal accusation was never filed, but an investigation began when a young woman sought medical treatment following an encounter with Kane, reports the Buffalo News.
"This investigation was the result of the Buffalo Police following automatic protocols that are in place. Those protocols were followed and there was never a criminal complaint filed," said acting District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr.
"After a careful and diligent examination of all the known facts, including the results of forensic and toxicological testing, neither the provable facts nor the applicable law support the filing of any criminal charges or a prosecution in this matter."
At the time, Kane maintained he had done nothing wrong, saying "I look forward to clearing my name (and) I respect the legal process."
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An interesting twist to the Dennis Wideman suspension saga was revealed Friday, after the Calgary Flames defenseman's suspension for making contact with linesman Don Henderson was reduced to 10 games from 20.
After Wideman's initial appeal of the suspension was upheld by the NHL, it was revealed by the league that Wideman sent a text message to an unnamed person after he met with executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell on Feb. 2. The text message read: "(The) only problem and the only reason I'm here is (because of) the stupid refs and stupid media."
According to the neutral arbitrator's ruling, the message was sent to Columbus Blue Jackets forward Gregory Campbell - the son of Colin, who made the initial 20-game suspension ruling.
Commissioner Gary Bettman cited the message as proof that Wideman did not accept responsibility for his actions, and the suspension remained at 20 games. Until Friday.
It was originally presented to the media that Wideman sent the text message in question to a teammate, but he and Campbell have never played together in the NHL. They were, however, traded for each other in June 2010, when the Florida Panthers traded Campbell and Nathan Horton to the Boston Bruins for Wideman and a first-round draft pick.
As TSN's Frank Seravalli notes, the text message being sent to Gregory Campbell, who was called a "teammate" of Wideman, raises some important - and intriguing - questions.
Bettman's decision was a sophisticated legal document. Including that text message "to a teammate" raises a lot of questions.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 11, 2016
Of them: Did Bettman not expect Oldham to reveal the text was to Gregory Campbell? Was "to a teammate" designed to protect the Campbells?
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 11, 2016
Did Gregory Campbell alert his father, and thus NHL executives, about the text message? Or did the NHL discover it during investigation?
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 11, 2016
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The NHL is not pleased.
After a neutral arbitrator reduced Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman's suspension for making contact with an official from 20 games to 10, the league released a strongly worded statement disagreeing with the ruling.
We are in receipt of Arbitrator James Oldham’s Opinion in the appeal of Dennis Wideman’s supplementary discipline suspension and reducing the suspension from 20 to 10 games. We strenuously disagree with the Arbitrator’s ruling and are reviewing the Opinion in detail to determine what next steps may be appropriate. We will have no further comment until we have completed our review. In light of and in response to Arbitrator Oldham’s Opinion, Mr. Wideman will be reinstated and will be eligible to participate in his team’s games, effective immediately.
The Flames host the Arizona Coyotes on Friday at home. Wideman, as noted above, will be available to play, although Calgary has yet to make an announcement on his status.
As evidenced by the statement, this saga may not be over. The NHL could appeal the arbitrator's decision through federal court, according to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos.
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A neutral arbitrator has reduced Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman's suspension for making contact with an official from 20 games to 10, according to multiple reports.
The incident occurred on Jan. 27, when Wideman, on his way to the Flames' bench after taking a big hit, collided with linesman Don Henderson. The collision appeared to have been made with intent, and Henderson reportedly suffered a concussion as a result.
Arbitrator James Oldham wrote in his ruling:
The Commissioner’s basic conclusion - that Wideman’s on-ice behavior resulting in Linesman Henderson’s concussion constituted physical abuse of an official calling for Supplemental Discipline for on-ice conduct - was correct. Also, the Commissioner’s use of League Rule 40 (“Physical Abuse of Officials”) as a framework for analysis was appropriate. The Commissioner’s conclusion, however, that Wideman’s behavior constituted intentional action within the meaning of Rule 40.2, automatically triggering a penalty of not less than twenty games, is not endorsed in this appeal because, in my opinion, that conclusion is not substantially supported by the totality of the evidence presented to me at the NDA hearing. In my judgment, the proper penalty should have been that specified in League Rule 40.3. Taking into account Wideman’s eleven years of discipline-free performance as a professional hockey player, there is no occasion to go beyond the ten game minimum specified in Rule 40.3. Dennis Wideman’s penalty, therefore, should be reduced from twenty games to ten games, and it is so ordered.
Wideman said the incident was completely unintentional, and apologized to Henderson. He's already missed 19 games during the appeal process, and Friday's decision will save him over $280,000 in salary, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
#NHLPA requested in hearing with arb. Oldham on Feb. 26 to allow Wideman to keep playing while appeal was being decided; #NHL declined.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 11, 2016
On Feb. 17, Gary Bettman announced the suspension would be upheld after the league reviewed the incident and the NHL commissioner met with Wideman. Bettman said Wideman refused to accept responsibility for his actions, citing a text message Wideman sent to a teammate in which he blamed the fallout from the incident on "stupid refs and stupid media."
Wideman's under contract for another season at a salary of $6 million, and a cap number of $5.25 million. He'll turn 33 on March 20.
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