Gary Bettman. Canadian Press.

The real reason the Pittsburgh Penguins are up for sale again.

The NHL's top insider reveals what's really going on behind the scenes.

Jonathan Larivee

Jonathan Larivee


Many of us were left more than a little surprised when it was announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins were once again up for sale. It has only been a few years since the organization was purchased by the Fenway Sports Group, but in spite of that there is no longer any disputing the fact that the rumors of a sale are very real.

Just last week National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Penguins were expected to sell for a whopping $1.75 billion, and now he has also shared some of his insight into why the sale is happening at all.

Friedman pointed to two significant factors in the decision, the first of which was the departure of David Beeston from the Fenway Sports Group.

"I had a couple say that David Beeston, who was part of their group and left, he was the biggest hockey fan that group had," revealed Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. "When he left, it wasn't the same."

The second factor, and the one that will definitely be much more interesting from the perspective of a hockey fan, is none other than NHL commissioner Gary Bettman himself.

"Someone I know who owns a team in another sport, he said that 'There's no commissioner who has more power in their sport than Gary Bettman,'" revealed Friedman. "He said 'Rob Manfred in baseball, he doesn't have the control that Bettman has. Roger Goodell in Football, nobody is telling Jerry Jones what to do, even Adam Silver in basketball.' This guy said to me 'No commissioner has a hold on their sport more than Bettman does' and he wonders if Fenway, which is used to more control in the other sports, just didn't like that."

Friedman added that he was surprised that the sale hadn't already happened, but also that he expects that it will eventually get done.

"When I reported it on Monday I thought that maybe it happens this week, but we'll see where it all goes," concluded Friedman.

If Gary Bettman pushed one of the most powerful sports ownership groups out of his league, then he is indeed the most powerful commissioner is the sporting world.

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Source: Canadian Press
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