Chapter 55

The NHL's Top-Secret Flow Chart for Dealing with Scandals

 

Over the years, the NHL has occasionally had to deal with unpleasant public relations problems. These sorts of things wouldn't happen in a perfect world, of course, but they're unavoidable for a business that operates under so much scrutiny.

Fans can probably recall some of the recent problems the league has had to face down: a suspicious clock malfunction in Los Angeles, Colin Campbell's email controversy, accusations of bias against referees. And let's not even get into the seemingly endless parade of owners who find themselves embroiled in various financial conflicts.

It would be easy for the league to try to sweep those sorts of problems under the rug. But to his credit, Gary Bettman doesn't let those close to him off the hook. Just like players and coaches, league officials are held to high standards and can face serious repercussions for stepping out of line. The league has a strict policy in place for ensuring accountability, and they follow it to the letter.

Here, thanks to my spies at the NHL head office, is the league's official document for handling high-level scandals and controversies.