Gary Bettman isn’t happy with Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual assault allegations
While talking to reporters during Thursday night’s Kraft Hockeyville game in Gander, Nfld., NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he isn’t happy with how Hockey Canada has handled the ongoing scandal involving sexual abuse allegations
“I think the response from Hockey Canada certainly needs work,” Bettman said, as transcribed by the Montreal Gazette’s Stu Cowan. “I’m not sure I fully understand why they’re responding the way they are.”
Bettman has “many expressions of concern” about how Hockey Canada has dealt with the situation. He said that he and the NHL are trying to keep themselves out of the situation.
“We don’t run Hockey Canada,” he said. “I think it would be inappropriate for me to tell Hockey Canada how to run its business…I think it’s incumbent on us to set a good example with the programs we have and the efforts we’ve made to be the best at all levels of hockey. Obviously, we’re very disappointed with the current state of affairs.”
Over in Prague, where the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators kicked off the 2022-23 NHL season, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that the league’s investigation into the sexual assault claims against members of the 2018 Canadian World Junior Championship team is almost wrapped up.
Bettman said he is waiting for the end of the investigation to speculate as to what might happen to the players involved in the alleged assaults.
The comments come after Hockey Canada returned to face scrutiny this week from the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. On Tuesday, former Hockey Canada board chair Michael Brind’Amour and interim chair Andrea Skinner faced tough questions, including CEO Scott Smith had not been fired over the company’s handling of alleged sexual assaults.
Hockey Canada has lost the support of many of its major sponsors, including Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons, Sobey’s, Scotiabank.
On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there needs to be wholesale changes in the country’s governing hockey body, which could include replacing Hockey Canada altogether.