Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee

Some of the most talented hockey players who ever skated for the Big Red include Ken Dryden ’69 and Joe Nieuwendyk ’88.

A Cornellian who did not skate at Lynah Rink, but attended games with season tickets as part of the Lynah Faithful and who has gone on to lead the sport at the professional level for 25 years, will join those legends in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman ’74 will be inducted Nov. 12 in Toronto. Three days later, he will be a featured speaker at the Nov. 15 Cornell ILR Sports Leadership Summit in New York City.

Bettman has led massive growth for the league, growing it from 24 to 31 teams. When Bettman became commissioner in 1993, the NHL posted revenues of about $400 million. Projected revenue for the 2018-2019 season is $4.54 billion.

Hockey great Wayne Gretzky, in an interview with NHL.com, reacted with praise after hearing of Bettman’s induction, announced June 26.

"The commissioner's vision to give every club a chance to win the Stanley Cup has made our game stronger,” Gretzky said. “His leadership and love for hockey is very evident. And hockey has become more entertaining year after year, thanks in part to his passion for the game."

Bettman grew up in Queens, N.Y., before attending Cornell and graduating from the New York University School of Law.

After law school, Bettman joined the law firm, Proskauer Rose Goetz and Mendelsohn, where future NBA commissioner David Stern worked. Stern would take Bettman to the NBA and into the world of professional sports.