NHL Commissioner

The National Hockey League commissioner is the highest-ranking executive officer in the National Hockey League (NHL). The position was created in 1993 with Gary Bettman as the first commissioner. 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 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 and NHL president in the period of the NHL's founding and the NHA's suspension.

NHL presidents/commissioners

 * Frank Calder, 1917-1943
 * Red Dutton, 1943-1946
 * Clarence Campbell, 1946-1977
 * John Ziegler, 1977-1992
 * Gil Stein, 1992- June 30, 1993
 * Gary Bettman, began serving as first commissioner on February 1, 1993

NHA presidents

 * M. Doheney, 1909–1910
 * Emmett Quinn, 1910-1916
 * Frank Robinson, 1916-1917
 * Frank Calder, 1917-1920?