MONTREAL (AP) 鈥� NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday the league鈥檚 investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving members of Canada鈥檚 2018 world junior team is getting 鈥渞eally close to the end.鈥�
In a media availability at the Bell Centre before the Montreal Canadiens鈥� game against the Boston Bruins, Bettman said the investigation was 鈥渘ot a race鈥� and that the goal was to 鈥済et it right.鈥�
鈥淒oing an investigation of this nature, getting access to information and people, isn鈥檛 something that you can just snap your fingers and make happen,鈥� Bettman said. 鈥淥bviously, we鈥檙e not the only ones conducting an investigation and apparently nobody鈥檚 done yet and so we want to bring it to its conclusion, but we鈥檙e just not there yet.鈥�
Bettman had said on Dec. 13 that the NHL was in the 鈥渉ome stretch鈥� of its investigation but that there was still work to be done. Bettman attributed the delay to 鈥渄ealing with the realities鈥� of everyone involved, not resistance from witnesses.
鈥淕etting access to people on a timely basis, we don鈥檛 technically have subpoena power, getting documentary evidence that may be filed in places that you have to get access to,鈥� Bettman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 complicated. It鈥檚 not like simply saying we want it to happen. But we鈥檙e trying to work it through when we get to the end and we want to get it right.鈥�
The NHL began its own review after Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit with a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by eight members of the country鈥檚 world junior team at a gala in 2018. Several players from that gold medal-winning team are currently in the NHL.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
Bettman also said the process to sell the Ottawa Senators was 鈥渦nderway.鈥� After the death of owner Eugene Melnyk, Senators Sports & Entertainment said in November that the club would be looking at potential buyers.
鈥淚 believe that the data room is open,鈥� Bettman said. 鈥淎nd the people who will file applications to be qualified have begun to do their due diligence and so my understanding is the process is underway.鈥�
One high-profile suitor, actor and entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds, has said he was interested in acquiring the team but needed 鈥渁 partner with deep pockets.鈥�
Bettman also touched on Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov's decision to stay in the Flyers鈥� locker room as the team held LGBTQ pride night and donned Pride themed pregame jerseys set to be auctioned for charity.
After the game, Provorov, who is Russian Orthodox, cited his religious beliefs to explain his decision not to step onto the ice wearing the jersey during warmups.
鈥淲e as a league and our franchises try to represent the best values in their communities,鈥� Bettman said. 鈥淲e want to make sure that we can make a positive difference in people鈥檚 lives, whether it鈥檚 for mental health night or to make certain segments of our society who maybe historically haven鈥檛 been involved in hockey feel welcomed and included.
鈥淏ut ultimately, players also have to be comfortable in terms of their own individual beliefs and it鈥檚 a balancing act.鈥�
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The Associated Press
