The NHL succession plan may be taking shape well before Gary Bettman actually leaves his post.
According to Frank Seravalli, the overwhelming expectation among the hockey executives he has spoken with is that deputy commissioner Bill Daly will eventually get the opportunity to replace Bettman as commissioner.
That does not necessarily mean the transition is imminent.
In fact, Seravalli’s reporting suggests Bettman could remain in charge for another three to five years before handing over the position. But the important part is that the NHL is apparently beginning to think seriously about what comes next.
Seravalli stated the following in a recent interview with Casino.org.
“I’ve yet to find one well-connected hockey executive who believes Bettman’s successor will be someone other than deputy commissioner Bill Daly.”
One NHL governor told him that the information they had heard was that Bettman wants Daly to succeed him “for a period of time.”
That period could reportedly be relatively short, perhaps three to five years, before another transition takes place.
Seravalli also reported that Bettman could remain involved after stepping down, potentially taking a commissioner emeritus-type role that would allow him to advise the league during the transition.
That would make this much more than a simple changing of the guard.
Bill Daly Makes Sense as Bettman’s Successor
There is an obvious reason Daly keeps emerging as the name at the center of the NHL succession plan.
He already knows the job.
Daly has worked alongside Bettman for decades, joining the NHL in 1996 and becoming deputy commissioner in 2005. He has been involved in some of the league’s most important negotiations and decisions during that time.
Elliotte Friedman made a similar point in his latest reporting, describing Daly as someone who would be an excellent choice and “could do the job blindfolded.”
That continuity could be particularly valuable for the NHL.
Bettman has been commissioner since 1993, meaning he has been at the center of virtually every major evolution of the league’s modern business model. Daly has been beside him for most of that journey.
A Daly succession would therefore provide the NHL with something that is difficult to manufacture: institutional knowledge.
It would also explain why the three-to-five-year scenario makes some sense.
Daly could take over, maintain continuity and eventually give the league an opportunity to make a larger leadership change if ownership decides it wants a different type of commissioner.
That doesn’t mean Daly is guaranteed the job. It means there is already a logical internal candidate with decades of experience waiting in the wings.
And that is precisely why the NHL succession plan is becoming a much more interesting story.
Owners Want a Say in the NHL Succession Plan
There is just one problem with simply handing Daly the keys.
The owners have to agree.
Friedman’s latest reporting suggests some of them want a formal search process rather than Bettman effectively choosing his successor. According to Friedman, some owners pushed for a search at the most recent Board of Governors meeting.
Importantly, this does not appear to be an anti-Daly movement.
Friedman said the owners pushing for a search would have no problem with Daly ultimately emerging as the winner. Their concern is the process itself.
That distinction matters.
The NHL is an ownership-run league, and the Board of Governors has a major say in the commissioner’s future. Bettman may have enormous influence over the direction of the league, but his preferred successor still has to satisfy the people who ultimately employ the commissioner.
There are also signs that ownership is becoming more willing to assert itself.
The league recently elected Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis as its new Board of Governors chairman, replacing Jeremy Jacobs after nearly two decades.
That change comes at an interesting moment.
The NHL is simultaneously dealing with expansion questions, massive growth in revenue and the eventual end of the Bettman era. The Board’s executive committee has already been involved in discussions about succession, according to Seravalli.
So while Daly may currently look like the obvious candidate, the NHL succession plan is not simply Bettman pointing toward his longtime deputy and walking away.
The owners want to be part of that decision.
And that could make the next few years of NHL governance considerably more interesting than they initially appear.
NHL Succession Plan Takes Shape as Bettman Eyes Bill Daly