PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s not anything that most Pittsburghers don’t know, but it’s still heartening to have those thoughts reaffirmed by the leader of the National Hockey League.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman talked to PM Team on 93.7 The Fan Monday mainly about the success of the Four Nations Face-Off and it’s future and if it could come here. But he was also asked about a couple of Pittsburgh legends.
Penguins and Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby.
“He’s a great player,” Bettman told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan. “He’s a great leader. He represents the game, on and off the ice, incomparably. He represents everything that is great about the game. He represents Pittsburgh well. He’s just a first-class, terrific person. He’s the whole tilt. We have been grateful to see his career unfold from where he was a kid.”
Crosby is ninth in the NHL history in points and just three assists away from moving into the top 10, tying with Gordie Howe. Crosby owns the record with 18 consecutive seasons where he averages at least a point per game. Many of those highlights described by Hall of Famer Mike Lange, who passed away last week.
“The game obviously exists on the ice and fans come to the game and watch it on television, but it’s the stories and the action and the energy that is being communicated,” Bettman told The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan. “That is the biggest connection point for our fans. We are grateful for all the great work guys like Mike have done over the years. We wouldn’t be where we are today without Mike Lange.”
“He was a truly special and unique play-by-play guy. He said it all. For 46 years he was the Voice of the Penguins and he died too young.”
Bettman said on 93.7 The fan to expect to see the league continue with outdoor games. He said they still move the needle and create special memories for fans, especially those in attendance. He also told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller, while the Four Nations Face-Off was a huge success, they also had good reviews of the most recent all-star game model with a three-on-three tournament for $1 million.