Bettman is undeniably an awful commissioner. He was instrumental in forcing the expansion that created the teams that can't make a profit. He has been the driving force for 3 lockouts now.
It's a fault of management, not a fault of the players who have given up ground in each lockout. The leafs are a billion dollar team, the coyotes are worth almost nothing. Cutting player costs by a few million per year wont change this dynamic.
Fortunately for everyone outside of Glendale, this is an 8 year (minimum) deal. Over that period the Coyotes won't make it, Columbus doesn't look like they'll make it, and the Panthers might not either. I think the _length_ of this CBA is the most transformative part. There's nothing Bettman can do now except move or shut down franchises.
