Bettman Says Betts Are Off

  Blair Betts, who was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens off waivers on Friday, has been returned to the Philadelphia Flyers, who originally waived him. The full details of the claim was recently covered in my article; "Waiver Wire; Avery Clears, Betts Claimed."

  The news come via Gary Bettman, in an odd and rare case where a claimed player is in some cases ineligible to be claimed – if that organization chooses to reject him.

  The 31 year-old was injured his shoulder in the 2009-2010 playoffs – an injury that has plagued him ever since.

  Following a physical examination of Betts by Montreal team doctors, the medical staff deemed him unfit to play. Due to their findings, the Canadiens’ organization has asked the NHL to void the waiver claim. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman obliged them.

  NHL By-Law 11.8 (a) states: "The Member Club acquiring a player by waiver claim shall take an assignment of the player's contract. Nevertheless, if the Commissioner determines that a player acquired by waiver claim is not physically fit at the time the claim is made, the Member Club making the claim may refuse to take an assignment of such player's contract and the request for waivers shall be cancelled."

"While it is clear that both clubs have acted in good faith in this unique situation (i.e. a waiver claim), I am not prepared to dispute the conclusion of the Montreal Club doctors that Mr. Betts was physically unfit to play at the time of the claim," Bettman said in an official statement. "Therefore, it is my decision that, per League By-Laws, the appropriate resolution to this matter is to restore the parties to the position they were in prior to the waiver claim on Oct. 5."

  Just after the news of his claim came through that Betts was now a Montreal Canadien, Betts expressed to the Montreal Gazzette that he was feeling fine.

"The shoulder's just fine," Betts told The Gazzette. "I have a lower body injury and the club decided that they wanted to check things out. If it was my decision, I'd be playing but I respect what they're doing and I hope that I'll be in the lineup in Winnipeg."

  Betts didn’t make that lineup, which was set for tonight. Nor did he make the season opener with the Canadiens due to what the team dubbed as a “lower body injury.”

  It’s hard not to feel for the Edmonton, Alberta native through the whole ordeal. The injury itself is hard enough to get through, but now he is back with a team that was willing to lose him, and was rejected by the only team that was willing to take him.

  The 6’3 210lbs. center still has a lot to give to the game as a checking line forward. Hopefully his injuries will heal soon enough, and he will be back on the ice doing what he does best.

  In 2010-2011 Betts played 75 games for the Flyers, where he recorded 5 goals and 12 points with a -3 rating, 8 penalty minutes, and 82 hits.Split between the Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, and Philadelphia Flyers, Betts has appeared in 477 NHL games and registered 41 goals and 78 points with a -18 rating.

- Kendall Grubbs