Gary Bettman: cancelling NHL season is ‘not something I'm even contemplating'

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman provided some encouraging news to hockey fans desperate to see the completion of the season on Tuesday.

According to the Mercury News, when Bettman appeared as a guest for the San Jose Sharks' virtual town hall for members of its business alliance Tuesday afternoon, the commissioner said ending the season without awarding the Stanley Cup is “not something I’m even contemplating.”

He added during the virtual town hall:

“I believe that if the right time comes, and the right circumstances, based on all of the options that we’re considering and our ability to execute them, we’ll get this season done. I don’t want to sound Pollyanna, but cancelling is too easy a solution. That means you stop working hard to do all of the things that we’re doing, and I ultimately believe that there will be an opportunity.”

The NHL was paused on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bettman making the declaration that he's still not considering cancelling the season two months in is a positive sign towards play resuming at some point this season.

“States are re-opening, cities are re-opening,” Bettman said. “And if we do the right things, I think we’ll be able to finish the season.”

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