But it was a few months earlier, on December 11, at the posh Breaker’s Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, that Bettman was introduced as the first NHL commissioner, succeeding Gil Stein, long-time legal counsel, who had a brief stint as interim president. Stein succeeded John Ziegler, who had essentially been nudged out of office in June 1992 after 15 years as president.
The Breaker’s had been a favourite haunt of Ziegler and his NHL owners, not too far from where former chairman of the board Bill Wirtz, owner of the Chicago Blackhawks, docked his yacht, The Blackhawk, which was also a favourite party place for the owners when they met.
As for the hotel, it was very opulent, very quiet, very old-fashioned money. Blazers had to be worn on the premises
The Breaker’s had been a favourite haunt of Ziegler and his NHL owners, not too far from where former chairman of the board Bill Wirtz, owner of the Chicago Blackhawks, docked his yacht, The Blackhawk, which was also a favourite party place for the owners when they met.
As for the hotel, it was very opulent, very quiet, very old-fashioned money. Blazers had to be worn on the premises