Bettman stickhandles around concussions to place in Hall

BULLS OF THE WEEK

Give credit where credit is due: The legal strategy commissioner Gary Bettman deployed around the concussion lawsuit filed by former players appears to have paid off for the NHL and its owners — and not so much for those who claimed the league did not do enough to protect them from brain injuries.

Attorneys for the players are recommending acceptance of a $19-million settlement with the NHL, which translates into $22,000 per player not including $75,000 of medical coverage for each claimant.

Bettman’s bullish week also included the highest honours an NHL commissioner could ever seek: induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night in Toronto.

Yet both seem somewhat hollow victories. The concussion settlement may be a legal and financial win, but it’s certainly not a goodwill gain for the NHL.

BEARS OF THE WEEK

Instead of playing Monday in front of 100,000 fans at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams — both with 9-1 records — will meet at the Los Angeles Coliseum before a crowd a fraction the size given the late notice.

A field torn up by LigaMX soccer games and a recent Shakira concert never recovered and was deemed unsuitable Tuesday by the NFL. It was the right call in the interests of player safety and television optics, but certainly a disappointment for the league given the lead-in promotion.

Closer to home, the B.C. Lions’ ouster from the CFL playoffs not only marked a disappointing end to the illustrious Hall of Fame career for Leos head coach Wally Buono, it ensured that none of the country’s three largest urban markets will have a seat at the table in this weekend’s division finals.