Bettman joins 'The Pat McAfee Show' to talk state of hockey

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman joined “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, talking about the state of hockey on the first day of the 2025-26 season.

The discussion began with talks about how international play has boosted the League and the sport, specifically with the 4 Nations Face-Off last season, as well as the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“When you saw the [4 Nations Face-Off], you could see [the players] were all in,” Bettman said on the show. “At the end of the day, this meant a lot to the players to represent their country."

“Our players are great,” he added “Whether it’s playing the sport for the love of the game or playing for the [Stanley Cup], they don’t do it halfway. They do it 110 percent.”

McAfee then directed the interview toward the Florida Panthers and their back-to-back championships, to which Bettman was quick to give credit to the players and the ownership for going “all in” on consistently competing for the Cup.

“Ownership, commitment to fans and the community, giving teams the resources … all of it makes a difference,” Bettman said of the Panthers. “And that’s what players look for when they are free agents.”

When the discussion turned to a potential expansion team, McAfee, who lives in Indianapolis, made a not-so-subtle suggestion to Bettman to bring the NHL to his city.

“Expansion in the NHL?,” McAfee said. “Austin, Houston, Atlanta …”

“What’s that fourth one?” he added, joking about Indianapolis being on the list of potential expansion cities.

Despite the plea, Bettman said the League isn’t directly looking at expansion at the moment.

“We’re not focusing on expanding right now,” Bettman said. “I think the most important thing in expansions are ownership, market, arena and what does it do to make the League stronger and improve our footprint.

“Our 32 teams have never been healthier, never been better-owned, never been as supported by fans."

The discussion then shifted back to international play, collective bargaining agreement negotiations and wrapped with a quick chat about the 2025 NHL Draft.

Bettman mentioned the special moments of the draft, including No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer’s emotional moment, Meredith Gaudreau announcing a selection for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Adam Sandler and other celebrities being part of the evening.

“We had a good time. I think the people in L.A. who attended the draft had a good time. … It was a lot of fun,” Bettman said.