Bettman says players learning how to hit safely

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he believes players are learning how to hit and check without violating the league’s safety rules. Bettman said Tuesday, the final day of the Board of Governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif., that the league has been proactive about eliminating dangerous hits to the head. “I believe the sense of the room is that (vice president of player safety) Brendan Shanahan and the department of player safety has the confidence of the board of governors. He certainly has my confidence,” Bettman said. “It’s about modifying an element of the game’s culture and we think we’ve made positive, dramatic steps forward.” – AP