NHL

DOLAN’S THE GOOD GUY IN BATTLE WITH BETTMAN

OTTAWA – This threat to take the Rangers away from Jim Dolan isn’t about legalities. This isn’t even about the Garden suing the NHL. Not really. Rather, this is about Dolan and the Garden challenging the despotic reign of Gary Bettman just the way Bob Goodenow had the temerity to do so.

And we all know what ultimately happened to Goodenow.

Three years following the lockout, essentially every cent of the NHL’s revenue increase is owed to dramatically escalating ticket prices and the surging Canadian dollar. The individual member clubs still produce more than 90 percent of the league’s revenue.

In a diatribe delivered to the Board of Governors on Wednesday, Bettman had the gall to blame the lawsuit that was filed in September for the league’s inability to undertake marketing and promotional initiatives. It was, we’re told, a classic sidewinder of a stump speech that was delivered after the Rangers contingent had been asked to leave the room.

Once, everything was Goodenow’s fault. Now, it’s all on Dolan.

Dolan, whose team is the only US-based club among the NHL’s top six revenue-producers, sent a letter to the other 29 governors in conjunction with the Garden’s suit in which the owner called out Bettman for his incompetence in marketing the game and in growing revenues.

That letter, which was obtained by The Post, and portions of which were printed in this space, was delivered in late September. Now, after a nine-month gestation period, the commissioner has given birth to a peculiar movement that, if successful, would leave the NHL without a New York team.

Bettman is claiming that, with a three-quarters vote of the Board to discipline Dolan that would follow a hearing, he not only has the power to remove Dolan and sell the team, but essentially has the authority to do whatever he pleases with the Rangers franchise.

And exactly where does Bettman think the Rangers will play if he strips Dolan and the Garden of ownership? At Rye Playland?

This isn’t about Cablevision. This isn’t about Isiah Thomas. Hey, maybe it is about Thomas. Maybe Bettman has volunteered to carry David Stern’s water for him and the NBA. Stranger things have happened; stranger things like the vindictive commissioner of the NHL going public with a threat to take control of the league’s flagship American franchise.

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In the absence of agreements with any of the European franchises, the NHL has maintained that the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) prohibits clubs from individually negotiating transfer fees in order to bring players to North America. But that’s not so.

The NHLPA has not agreed to any restrictions regarding the negotiation of transfer fees for the 2008-09 season. Indeed, Slap Shots has learned the union specifically informed the league on May 17 that it would permit unilaterally imposed restrictions for 2008-09.

As such, there is no restriction, nothing in the CBA, no agreement between the NHL and NHLPA that would, for instance, prohibit the Rangers from negotiating with Omsk to buy Alexei Cherepanov out of the final season of his contract and bring him to New York next season.

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Sean Avery lived with Brett Hull and his wife when they were teammates in Detroit in 2001-02 and formed a mutual admiration society, one loudmouth to another.

You can be assured that Hull, co-GM of the Stars, will be in on Avery big-time if Fashion Show 16 hits the open market.

Two NHL general managers have told Slap Shots that Evgeni Malkin has a five-year, $50M cash offer from a Russian team that should be taken very, very seriously.

Penguins, we’re told, are preparing an offer of approximately $7.5M per to keep Marian Hossa from testing the market. Sources indicate he’ll accept. Pittsburgh is also attempting to keep Brooks Orpik, though an initial offer in the $3.3M range isn’t going to be enough.

Though Bryan McCabe’s agent is on the record stating the Toronto defenseman will not waive his no-trade clause, there’s a strong belief he will do so if the Islanders engage the Maple Leafs, which they may well do within the next three weeks.

Here’s a dark-horse free agent possibility for the Rangers if Plan A and Plan B fall through: Miro Satan.

Brian Rolston, who will be the subject of intense competition between the Rangers and Devils should he reach unrestricted free agency, seems headed for the market. Should the Blueshirts add Rolston, a solid second-line winger who can run the power play and bomb from the point, that would alleviate the need to get a defenseman who can fill that role.

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Finally, Tiger Woods may not watch hockey, but he sure fits in with the culture, doesn’t he? But then, he must know all about Bob Baun and the broken leg on which he played in order to help the Leafs win the Cup in 1964, right?

larry.brooks@nypost.com