Bettman Honors Poile in Nashville Visit, Talks Outdoor Game Potential

Count the NHL Commissioner as just one of many who continue to make a stop in Nashville to congratulate the winningest general manager in League history.
Gary Bettman was on hand Thursday to join in the celebration of Predators GM David Poile collecting his 1,320th career win - plus four more at this point - more than anyone else to ever hold the title in the NHL's 100-year history.
For Bettman, who has gotten to know Poile on a professional and personal level over the past two-plus decades, it's understandable, yet extraordinary, to see what the only GM in Nashville's 20-year history has been able to reach the accomplishment.

"He's really all about what's good for the game and the values of the game that are so important to a community," Bettman said of Poile. "You look at what he's done here in Nashville, being the only general manager, you look at how this franchise and this community have bonded so well, the players he brings in here, the fact that he's always looking to make the team more competitive… I don't think anybody could've imagined that in a profession that has so much turnover that he could've amassed a 36-year manager career, set the record for the most wins and done it with only two teams and only five coaches. That is remarkable."
Bettman praised Poile for not only is work in Tennessee, but for the game as a whole. The commissioner labeled Nashville's GM as the man who submits the most suggestions and talking points to consider at the League's General Managers Meetings, as well as serving on the NHL's Competition Committee since its inception, always looking to adapt and make the game better than it's ever been.
But Poile bleeds Gold first and foremost, his fingerprints on just about every ounce of hockey in the Music City.
"He's perfect for this town," Bettman said. "He's been the only manger the team has ever had, he's been through a number of different owners and in the final analysis, he's been the one constant and when you think of everything that transpired here in terms of the growth of hockey, culminating I suppose last spring. That all starts with David and what he's brought in terms of stability and professionalism."
The number, now 1,324 victories, is astronomical, and Bettman believes it's likely to never be broken. And when it comes to the human side of the game and the business, the commissioner reiterated the immense amount of respect Poile has from not only his peers and the League office, but Bettman himself.
Suffice to say, Poile is one of the game's greatest ambassadors, and the NHL would love nothing more than to have him involved for a long time to come.
"He is the consummate professional," Bettman said. "He obviously is passionate about the game. You don't spend 46 years in your life working in the NHL if you're not passionate about it, but he's been dating or married to his wife since they were both 13 - that tells you as much about him as anything else, in a good way. So, he's a great hockey man and he's a really good man."

Taking It Outside?
While in town, the question of a potential outdoor game in Nashville featuring the Predators was also brought up to the commissioner, a topic he says the League has been considering for some time and continues to explore.
And while nothing is imminent on the front, the chances of the Preds eventually skating outdoors in Tennessee seem to be on an upward trajectory.
"We could see an outdoor game," Bettman said of a potential event in Nashville. "We have to look at a lot of permutations, but Nashville has done an outstanding job any time we've held an event here, not the least of which was the [2016] All-Star Game. This has really become a destination city in a whole host of ways. I can envision us doing an outdoor game here. I can't give you a timetable and I can't exactly give you the specifics because there are a lot of things logistically we would have to work out, but it's something we have our eye on."