Former NHLer Reveals the Corrupt Trade He Was Forced Into by Gary Bettman

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Aaron Itovitch
February 8, 2023 (12:13)

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There have been rumours of corruption in the NHL for a long time. Nothing that could be objectively proven, but rumours aplenty.

That is, until today. Former NHLer John Scott went out to explain his trade from Arizona to Montreal.

Scott was familiar with then Habs GM Marc Bergevin, but when he went to talk to him, Bergevin revealed to Scott that he didn't even want to make the trade.

Yeah, when I got to Montreal, I didn't even go to Montreal I went to St. John's. I talked to Bergy, Bergevin. I knew him from Chicago from when he was a scout. You know how they give jobs to ex players, here be a scout Bergy. I talked to him after the trade and he said "John I didn't even want yah. I just had to make this trade." And he didn't elaborate.

But there was Bettman's fingers all over that trade.

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It makes perfect sense. After Scott was voted to be an NHL All-Star out of nowhere, he became one of the most popular players in the league. His trade to Montreal put him in the marketing spotlight for the NHL, but equally gave Bettman the long-term comfort of sending him to the remote St. John's of the AHL when he no longer had a place in the league.

Whether this was some sort of punishment, or simply profiting off Scott's popularity, it is never nice to see that a commissioner can quite literally force a trade. One can only wonder how many other times this has happened.

Source: Blade of Steel