NHL Commissioner Provides Update on His Future

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman provided an update on his future at the league's general managers meeting.

Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Nashville Predators general manager David Poile during the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Gary Bettman has been the NHL Commissioner since 1993. Under his leadership, the league has expanded to 32 organizations, record-high revenues, and seen significant growth for the game.

With three decades under his belt as the NHL Commissioner, many have recently asked when will Bettman step aside or retire? Earlier in the season, reports broke that the league had begun to make plans for Bettman's succession, but no further specifics have been announced.

Since then, there's been continued speculation about when that time will come. At the latest general manager's meetings, Bettman was asked about this topic by reporter Pierre LeBrun. LeBrun inquired if the commissioner had updated the league's GMs on his future, and Bettman shut that question down quickly.

"Absolutely not," he said. "You keep trying to get rid of me. No such luck. I'm going to see if I can outlast you."

Gary Bettman, when asked by @PierreVLeBrun if he updated the GMs on his future as NHL commissioner: "Absolutely not. You keep trying to get rid of me. No such luck. I'm going to see if I can outlast you."

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 19, 2025

Bettman has been vocal with his thoughts during the most recent executive meetings. From topics including the salary cap, to the playoff format, to his job future, Bettman was candid and straightforward. His comments indicate that he isn't leaving his position any time soon.

What that means for the NHL and their future plans remains to be seen. Bettman has remained the man in charge for over three decades and the league has flourished. It's a mystery how much long he will be leading the NHL, but he clearly has no plans of exiting his current role at least through the introduction of the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2026.

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