NHL reporter fired after embarrassing Gary Bettman on live TV
Tony Twist put Gary Bettman in a different light with a story that flipped a bad day into a surprising save.
Bettman has spent years dividing hockey fans. Some see the commissioner as the man who pushed league growth, while others have never warmed to his style.
That’s why Twist’s story landed.
It wasn’t about a boardroom call or a labor fight. It was about a live TV bit that nearly cost him his job.
Twist said the moment happened while he was working as on-air talent for ESPN. During an interview, he joked about Bettman’s height and had him stand on a milk crate.
The segment came off loose and funny.
Bettman appeared to enjoy the exchange, and on camera it looked like harmless fun between two hockey people.
Then everything turned. Twist said he got back to the trailer and was told he had been fired over the stunt.
Tony Twist says Bettman stepped in fast
That could have been the whole story. Twist crosses a line, the network reacts, and the day ends with a lesson about live television.
But Twist said Bettman didn’t leave it there.
After hearing what happened, the commissioner picked up the phone himself and dealt with it on the spot.
According to Twist, Bettman came back with the words that changed everything: you’re not fired. That one move reshaped the story from embarrassment to loyalty.
"You're not fired," said Bettman.
For fans used to seeing Bettman as cold or guarded, that detail stands out. Twist wasn’t describing a polished public appearance. He was describing a private response.
And that’s what gives the clip weight. It doesn’t erase Bettman’s reputation with every fan, but it adds something that rarely makes it into the conversation.
Twist set out to tell a behind-the-scenes hockey story. What he really did was show a side of Gary Bettman most people never get to see.
![Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] View of a Team Canada logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre.](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/663107.webp "Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] View of a Team Canada logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre.")
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YESTERDAY
MAY 1, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mitch Marner | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Zach Benson | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Rasmus Dahlin | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Tage Thompson | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Gage Goncalves | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Josh Norris | 1 | - | 1 | |
| David Pastrnak | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mattias Samuelsson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Colton Sissons | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cole Smith | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alex Tuch | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Kailer Yamamoto | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Doan | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brandon Hagel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Noah Hanifin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Dominic James | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Kaedan Korczak | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||