The Crux of the Issue.

Bettman the Ass.  

If there is no NHL season this year, and it seems increasingly unlikely that there will not be, I place 100% of the blame on Gary Bettman. The reason the NHL is in need of "cost certainty" is because he has done nothing to curb the idiotic spending habits of owners over the past decade. He is attempting to legislate a salary cap, because without one, the owners will be unable to restrain themselves from doling out big bucks to half-assed players (I'm looking at you, Bobby Holik and Martin Lapointe). Every hockey fan in North America could see this was coming down the pike, and yet Gary chose to do nothing. He is to blame for the lack of NHL hockey being played right now. The owners have made their own bed. A bed of over-inflated salaries, seemingly lack-lustre marketing and sales, and fan disenfranchisement (and I cannot believe I just used that word...). Now they are sleeping in it. They should be blaming Gary for tucking them in all these years.

I hate you, Gary Bettman. You are an ass.

*Ed note: I reserve the right to change or alter this post pending the outcome of what seems to be the final round of season-saving talks this week. Who knows, the league may prove me wrong.