2 Minute Minor
Hi Keeba!
I'm the exact opposite. I think Bettman gets a lot of heat for stuff that isn't his fault. This is definitely a case where Bettman deserves a lot of criticism.
Doing his job means protecting business over the health and well being of its employees. I think most people would find this objectionable in any other context, but it's hockey so... cool I guess?
He can take care to try and minimize the league's exposure to bad press and lawsuits, while doing nothing to detract from appropriate medical decision-making. Maybe inartfully worded, but it wasn't in a context expected to be consumed publicly (he had an expectation of a private informal message when it was composed). If he perceives someone sensationalizing concussion history for personal profit, at the expense of the league's good name....seems appropriate to gently discourage that. (I'm not judging the content of the book in question, just saying if that's how Bettman perceived it, his response seems reasonable.)