In the midst of the Jim Balsillie/Phoenix Coyotes saga, a recurring theme (particularly among Canadian writers) is that this is ultimately a personal issue between Gary Bettman and Jim Balsillie, or that Bettman's personal crusade for Sun Belt hockey is on the line, etc. Mike Chen chimes in with a more realistic picture of exactly what Bettman's role is as NHL Commissioner, and that his influence, while extensive, isn't as all-powerful as his legions of critics might think.