Bruins Owner Jeremy Jacobs Praises Commissioner Gary Bettman

Commissioner Gary Bettman will be the face of the National Hockey League for a while yet, negotiating a five-year contract extension last November, The Globe and Mail reported on Friday.
According to the newspaper, the nine-member executive committee unanimously approved the extension.
The Globe adds that one of the biggest backers to get Bettman the extension was Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, who is the league's chairman of the board of governors. As chairman, one of Jacobs's duties is to keep the commissioner and the other key executives under contract.

"Old news. I believe my contract has been extended four times, each time with the approval of the board of governors," Bettman confirmed to The Globe via e-mail.
One governor told the paper he believed Bettman also reached an understanding with the executive committee that deputy commissioner Bill Daly and chief operating officer John Collins will also be retained beyond this season.
Bettman's current contract, which pays him $7.2 million annually, was originally set to expire this summer.

Before the puck dropped for Saturday night’s NHL season opener, Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs took the chance to address the media regarding the lockout that swallowed the team’s first 34 games. Jacobs admitted that the work stoppage was detrimental to both the owners and the players, but the ability to salvage a season prevented it from being fully disastrous. “Let me make this observation,” he said. “Nobody won, but more importantly, nobody lost at this point.” Many fans and media members had been critical of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s role in the negotiations throughout the lockout, but Jacobs was effusive in his praise of the commissioner. “This game has thrived with Gary Bettman as commissioner,” Jacobs said. “He’s moved it every year. He’s brought new technology, he’s brought new ideas to it and all. He’s probably brought a little bit of an abrasive personality with it. Not everybody loves him, and that’s to be understood. But he’s done a yeoman’s job and worked his butt off. You can’t outwork Gary, and for that I’m very happy that he was there. This agreement would not have gotten done without Gary Bettman.”

Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/01/bruins-owner-jeremy-jacobs-praises-commissioner-gary-bettmans-role-in-ending-nhl-lockout-video/