from Ken Warren and James Gordon of Senators Extra,

Bettman and Bill Daly, the NHL’s deputy commissioner, are the only two league executives who have permission to speak publicly on the lockout-related matters.

“The league has a long-standing policy against club personnel speaking on collective bargaining matters,” Daly wrote in an email to the Citizen Thursday night. “It’s a serious policy and one that is well-founded in purpose and rationale.”

Daly says, however, that the league employs “discretion” and “common sense” in determining whether specific comments cross the line. He says the league will remind Melynk of the policy, but so far, the Seantors owner has not been fined or disciplined.

“We intend to talk to Eugene and understand the circumstances and context of his comments before determining next steps which, depending on their nature, are generally maintained as internal league matters and not disclosed publicly in any event.”

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