| NHL commissioner | |
|---|---|
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| Appointer | NHL Board of Governors |
| Inaugural holder | Gary Bettman |
| Formation | February 1, 1993 |
| Website | www |
The National Hockey League commissioner is the highest-ranking executive officer in the National Hockey League (NHL). The position was created in 1993; Gary Bettman was named the first commissioner and remains the only person to fill the position to date. Among other duties, the commissioner leads collective bargaining negotiations on behalf of the league and appoints officials for all NHL games.
Until 1993, the NHL's top executive was the league president, and for five months in 1993, the league had both a commissioner and a president. The roles were amalgamated on July 1, 1993. The presidency originated in the National Hockey Association (NHA), which Frank Calder presided over jointly as NHA acting president and NHL president in the period of the NHL's founding and the NHA's suspension.