When Bettman talks about the NHL being better off with Seattle as a part of it, he's looking at more than just the Kraken on the ice. He's interested in the impact the franchise will, and already has, have on the community at large.
He has seen what that impact can look like.
"In all the places where we've added teams over the last couple of decades, not only has NHL hockey flourished, but hockey has grown exponentially at the grassroots level," Bettman said. "With the three sheets at the [Kraken Community Iceplex] you're going to see it here. There's going to be more participation, you're going to see more high school hockey than you've ever seen before, and it's going to go down to the mite level.
"So that's what our presence does but from our standpoint, being in Seattle makes us stronger."
Bettman was very clear he was in Seattle this weekend to support the Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena. He spoke at Friday's ribbon cutting ceremony and took part on a panel about venues. One thing that he wasn't here to do was break any news.
But that didn't stop the questions about whether Seattle, the Kraken, or Climate Pledge Arena can expect to host NHL events soon. Could we see an outdoor game, the NHL Draft, or an All-Star game?
"We will consider Seattle," Bettman said. "Obviously because it's a place we're happy to be, we want to be, and the building's great for the league events. We haven't focused on that yet, and what the dates are, but I'm sure there will be ongoing discussions. I'm sure that David Bonderman and Tod Leiweke will be pounding me mercilessly on announcing events and having them here. At some point, on some schedule, we'll be happy to do it."
