Synopses & Reviews
Two decades of lockouts, soaring ticket prices, and on-ice tinkering have convinced many hard-core fans that the NHLs long-time commissioner Gary Bettman is the devil in disguise, but this book examines his motivations, peels back his often prickly demeanor, and explains how he manages to lead, confound, and keep order. It details the unlikely ascension of a fatherless Jewish kid from Long Island—who never played hockey and can barely skate—to the sports biggest job. The seven-fold increase in gross revenue during Bettmans 20-year tenure as NHL commissioner makes him a business success story, and on his watch, professional hockey has also expanded far beyond its regional strongholds. By taming the NHLs famously fractious owners, all but busting its players union, and enforcing a lawyerly discipline even on trash talk, Bettman has become a figure of almost unrivaled power in the business of sports, and this biography delves into how his influence shapes rival leagues in other countries, dictates the schedule of the Olympic Winter Games, and spills onto the ice itself.
Review
"A must-read for any fan that's seen the NHL reshaped during Bettman's reign" and a "treasure trove of anecdotes." —Puck Daddy
Review
"An excellent biography." —Globe and Mail
Review
"I enjoyed the hell out of this book. It was absolute quality." —Mile High Hockey, the Colorado Avalanche blog on SB Nation
About the Author
Jonathon Gatehouse is a senior correspondent for Macleans weekly magazine, is a former reporter for Canadas National Post and the Montreal Gazette, and appears regularly on CBC Sports Hockey Night in Canada as an expert journalist. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.