Commissioner Gary Bettman will be the face of the National Hockey League for a while yet, negotiating a five-year contract extension last November, The Globe and Mail reported on Friday.
According to the newspaper, the nine-member executive committee unanimously approved the extension.
The Globe adds that one of the biggest backers to get Bettman the extension was Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, who is the league's chairman of the board of governors. As chairman, one of Jacobs's duties is to keep the commissioner and the other key executives under contract.
"Old news. I believe my contract has been extended four times, each time with the approval of the board of governors," Bettman confirmed to The Globe via e-mail.
One governor told the paper he believed Bettman also reached an understanding with the executive committee that deputy commissioner Bill Daly and chief operating officer John Collins will also be retained beyond this season.
Bettman's current contract, which pays him $7.2 million annually, was originally set to expire this summer.
