Teemu Selanne Calls Out Gary Bettman, Craig Leipold in Blog Post
By jer
March 12 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne (8) looks up after scoring in the third period of the game against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center. The Avalanche defeated the Duck in overtime 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE
In a blog post made today on the Finnish site MTV3.fi (translated a little messily here via Google Translate), Anaheim Ducks star Teemu Selanne is voicing his dissent over the way Gary Bettman and NHL team owners are handling the NHL lockout. In particular, he calls out owner Craig Leipold of the Minnesota Wild.
We have some highlights from the post below, but we certainly reccomend checking out the full post as linked above (and forgive the translation, it was initially written in Finnish).
On long-term contracts and Craig Leipold’s apparent two-facedness:
"NHL has warned clubs from making too long and the front-heavy contracts. After all, the clubs need them to do, if you do not want to. A perfect example is the Minnesota owner Craig Leipold, who is also one of the NHL’s members of the group. He makes a two-player, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in A couple with 13 years and more than $ 100 million contracts (per player) and tells the hockey world how excited the entire Minnesota is fresh purchases. The next day, he put a jacket on top of the NHL, going to the other side of the table and tells the same hockey world how incomprehensible are these new long-term contracts. Come on! Come on! None teams forced to pay such sums, and in the 13 years of absurd contracts. Are NHL clubs still do not know that any of mega long-term deal has not yet been owners of operating. You also have to remember that it has a contractual dispute with 57 per cent share of the players had their offer, which we had to accept. And now, it is not enough!"
On Gary Bettman, the “NHL’s most hates person:”
"Gary Bettman has been the NHL’s boss for almost 20 years. He was hired by the NHL to bring the salary cap, and so he did, as he had received the salary cap NBA Basketball: acquisition. Twice the lockout has been a stoppage during his reign, and each time the lockout is done. Now it is the third! He is certainly the NHL’s most hated person."
…
"[Bettman] makes himself more than eight million dollars a year. Would Mr. Bettman willing to give up their salary and give part of it to these “poor” teams? Hmm … interesting question"
Ouch. Selanne doesn’t seem to be taking this lightly. What do you think?
Jer is ready for more NHL criticism from Selanne! Follow him on Twitter @JerMeansWell.