15 reasons this NHL season took place in the Upside Down

1. Gary’s playing head games

Here’s one for you: Despite oodles of research saying otherwise, the NFL admitting to it, him not being a doctor and just general common sense, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman continues to deny any connection between CTE and concussions.

Given Bettman’s track record on this topic over the years and the NHL’s defense during an ongoing lawsuit by former players, that might not be a surprise, but it certainly is contrary to how the rest of the sports world feels about it. Which is a whole other different kind of Upside Down.

This is going to be an issue to keep an eye on as the NHL tries to gain prominence in the mainstream sports culture, because frankly, it’s not going to fly.

Then there was the matter of Bettman and the league not allowing NHL players to participate in the Winter Olympics in 2018. A men’s ice hockey tournament with no NHL players? Definitely a product of the Upside Down.