SOMETHING TO CHEWY ON
Never dull moment at NHL all-star skills competition; Gary Bettman says Seattle out of expansion running,
NASHVILLE— NHL commissioner Gary Bettman insisted Seattle is not in the running to land an expansion team.
“If someone wanted to give us an application right now, we wouldn’t take it,” Bettman said Saturday at his state-of-the-league news conference.
Las Vegas and Quebec City have submitted expansion applications but a decision whether to grant both, either or neither city an NHL franchise does not appear imminent.
“The process is continuing,” Bettman said. “We’re not ready to make a recommendation.”
Bettman said a 10-owner executive committee will eventually suggest the league should add two teams, one or none.
Expansion was barely addressed at the NHL board of governors meeting Saturday morning after it was discussed extensively in December. Bettman bristled at a suggestion the league is struggling to decide whether to expand.
“We’re going through an orderly process,” Bettman said. “This is a very important decision.”
Bettman acknowledged he doesn’t know whether the weakened Cana- dian dollar will be a factor in Quebec City’s bid.
Martin Tremblay, spokesman for Montreal-based communications giant, declined comment on the process. A message seeking comment was left for Michelle Kersch, spokeswoman for the Bill Foley’s Black Knight Sports & Entertainment in Las Vegas.
The Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995, becoming the Colorado Avalanche. Las Vegas has never had a major pro sports team.
Bettman has proposed an expansion fee of $500 million, a significant jump from the $80 million fee paid by the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild in 2000 when the NHL last expanded.
The 2017-18 season would be the earliest the league would expand, and Bettman and the owners aren’t feeling pressure to make a decision.
“We’re not running a 60-minute game where the clock is going to run out,” he said.
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have about a year to figure out whether to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics, according to Bettman. Both parties did have a discussion with the International Ice Hockey Federation two months ago, Bettman said, leaving questions related to the cost to transport and insure the players up to the IIHF and the IOC.
Bettman deflected questions about whether the NHL would change the way fans can vote players into the all-star game following the fallout from John Scott, a journeyman enforcer, getting a spot in the showcase. SKILLS COMPETITION: Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin won not only the title of fastest skater but set the record for the fastest lap. He topped Mike Gartner’s time of 13.386 seconds in 1996.
Larkin easily beat Predators defenceman Roman Josi on the first lap of the first event Saturday night at the NHL skills competition at12.894 seconds.
Hometown favourite Predators captain Shea Weber won the hardest shot at 108.3 m.p.h.
The Eastern Conference won the skills competition 29-12.