The NHL brought its entertainment business to Finland last week. Koneiston, who tried to take all possible market benefit out of his visit during the week. In the end, two games were played where the reigning Stanley Cup champion, Colorado, defeated the miserable Columbus.
If you had to answer the question of what the NHL is in one word, it would be the entertainment business. I think that’s what top sport is in a broader perspective. It includes how the teams perform on the ice, but it also includes the how Patrick Laine is dressed.
I can’t disapprove of the sports media’s coverage of Laine’s outfit choices or social media banter, because you can justifiably argue that it’s not outside sports coverage.
If I remember anything from my studies in Jyväskylä, it is for some reason at least that when the excellent professor of sports sociology (now emeritus) Hannu Itkonen presented the triple connection of elite sports consisting of the following: sports product, media and market.
Nowadays, the sports product includes delay outputs and personal brands, skating technology and TikTok. I guess a sports journalist doesn’t have to avoid some of the things that belong to a sports product.
In the same breath, it must be stated that last week we saw, and very well so, also a very critical reflection on what is the media’s relationship with the sports product called NHL. Was the NHL given the whole hand instead of the little finger and forgot the rules of the game for their sports product?
The best example of the rules of the game, once again, was given by the NHL commissioner who held his media conference in Tampere Gary Bettman. The 70-year-old Bettman has led the league with an iron grip since 1993.
When he goes on the ice in an NHL game, for example to hand out the Stanley Cup trophy to the captain of the champion team, the audience’s booing concert begins. Bettman has always assured that it doesn’t bother him.
At the same time, Bettman has played a big role in making the NHL a league that thrives as it does now. At the same time, he has mastered the media game with his ability to say things without saying anything. In Tampere, he initially praised the city, the arena, Finland, Ilves and Tappara.
CTE and Ovechkin aren’t the problem – Miller was
Bettman dodged all the questions posed by the media. He protected the shiny shield of the league faithfully to his style by assuring that there is no problem anywhere, and there hasn’t been.
Slovakian NHL hockey player Marek Svatos died in 2016. Widowed last weekend Diana Svatos told for TSN (you switch to another service) that her husband suffered from CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). Another addition to the NHL’s increasingly sad CTE list.
CTE can be caused by repeated blows to the head. It causes, among other things, serious mental health and memory problems. Research has already been widely accumulated on, for example, American football and soccer.
The documentary Bob Probert – the tragedy of a brawler can be watched at Areena. It tells the story of a tough NHL forward who died in 2010 at the age of 45 By Bob Probert the story. CTE was found in Probert’s brain after his family donated the dead hockey player’s brain for testing.
The NHL has repeatedly refused to trust the obtained research results, and emphasized its own research. That was Bettman’s quick alignment now as well.
The comments were equally worthless About Aleksandr Ovechkinwhen asked at the media conference about its connections to Vladimir Putin.
Bettman stated that he does not know exactly what kind of relationship Ovechkin has with Putin.
– He plays in the NHL and he plays for the Washington Capitals, not for Russia, Bettman emphasized.
Really? It’s completely pointless to imagine that Bettman, who protects the NHL’s public image, doesn’t know that Ovechkin’s Instagram profile picture still has a joint picture with Putin. It is pointless to imagine that Bettman does not know what kind of propaganda face Ovechkin has been and still is for Russia.
Read also: Analysis: Aleksandr Ovechkin’s request in the spring of 2014 enraged Russians and strengthened the star’s relationship with Putin – now it backfires in the worst way
Of course, Ovechkin represents the Capitals. But he is a hugely known and popular hockey player because he is a historically good goal scorer. And he has used this popularity by, among other things, founding the PutinTeam movement. Ovechkin himself has caused the fact that his sports product and personal brand also include politics.
I think Bettman knows all this.
Read also: The media boss who fled Putin’s regime cannot understand the behavior of the Russian hockey millionaires: “It’s simply terrible”
In general, the most talked about NHL topic last weekend was the signing of the 20-year-old defenseman by the Boston Bruins by Mitchell Miller. At the age of 14, this had violently and racially bullied a dark-skinned, learning-disabled boy.
Bettman took a firm stand on this. The commissioner said Miller cannot play in the NHL until the league gives its approval, and there is none at this time.
The next day, Boston terminated Miller’s contract.
From a North American perspective, the horrors of Ukraine are so far away that Bettman feels he can manage the Ovechkin criticism. Over the weekend, the NHL channels celebrated in huge letters how Ovechkin became the player with the most goals for one organization in NHL history.
Instead, Bettman calculated that in Miller’s case, the NHL only has (financial) to lose.
It seems simple: superstardom and money define Bettman’s views.
How did Boston drop the ball so badly?
The Boston Bruins are at the top of the Eastern Conference, but the last few days it has been in the spotlight for completely different reasons.
So the club announced on Friday that it had given a three-year rookie contract to Mitchell Miller, who had committed long-term, both mental and physical violence in 2016. The Arizona Coyotes booked Miller for 2020, but quickly rescinded when Miller’s history came to light.
Both Bettman and Boston’s number one stars, such as the captain, were angry about the contract made by Boston Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron said he expressed his doubts about Miller’s hiring to the GM To Don Sweeney. Bergeron stated that “he didn’t necessarily agree” with the club management.
Patrice Bergeron spoke to the media on the weekend before the Toronto game and commented on Miller’s hiring, among other things.
Another experienced player Nick Foligno stated that Miller was 14 years old when he committed his actions, but acknowledged that the hire has been a tough piece in the Bruins locker room.
– We have a lot of worries. He (Miller) has to answer them and prove to everyone that he is a changed man, especially if he wants to get into this locker room.
Miller’s Boston deal lasted a couple of days. Boston club boss Cam Neely said on Monday in the bulletin (you will switch to another service) the club has received new information. Earlier, Neely assured that Miller has been working with professionals for a long time to correct his behavior and learn from his mistakes.
– If Boston really worked to sign Miller for “almost a year,” as GM Sweeney says, it was an unfathomable waste of time, Sportsnet close (you switch to another service).
Boston assured that it had investigated all of Miller’s background. Now Neely admitted to Sportsnet that he was the target of bullying to Isaiah Meyer-Crothers or they had no connection with this family. “Should have,” Neely said.
Neely said he believed Miller deserved a second chance. He admitted that he misjudged how much negative feedback Boston was getting about his hire.
After all, there was more to lose than to win – realized Neely.
Whatever one’s opinion of the opportunities Miller deserves, such a mix-up is unlikely to make life any easier for him or the abused Meyer-Crothers.
According to Neely, Boston should have been able to do better.
– It is undeniable, and the Bruins bear their shame, was Sportsnet’s assessment.
Boston Bruins club boss Cam Neely spoke to the media about canceling Miller’s contract on Monday.
Bergeron, 37, spoke forcefully about what is and isn’t morally acceptable on a sports team. He did not hesitate to criticize his club bosses.
Another member of the three-gold club (Olympic gold, World Cup gold and Stanley Cup). Jonathan Toews was the subject of heavy criticism a year ago. The 34-year-old Chicago center defended the puck bosses who left his club Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac. The club bosses had covered up the sexual harassment that happened in the club.
Read also: Comment: The Chicago Blackhawks abuse scandal is one of the most disgusting cases in NHL history – those who covered it up must be held accountable
When commenting on the matter, Toews was mainly upset that the two who worked so hard for the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cups had to leave their positions.
– It’s not about how Bowman treated you. It’s about how Bowman and others treated Kyle Beach. You can’t discount his experience just because yours is different, NHL reporter Jackie Redmond stated (you switch to another service) To Toews.
There are many ways to act as a team captain.