“My message to the kids and our fans is hockey's a great game. There's a lot of hockey being played at all levels. Get involved, do it. We will be back and we will be back better than ever and hopefully as soon as possible. Don't give up on the game. It's too good.”

American sports executive

Gary Bruce Bettman is an American sports executive, born in 1952, best known as the commissioner of the National Hockey League. He has held that role since February 1, 1993, making him one of the longest-serving league leaders in North American professional sports. Before joining the NHL, Bettman was a senior vice president and general counsel for the National Basketball Association. He studied at Cornell University and New York University School of Law, and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.