Air Canada threat could prompt other sponsors to pull out of NHL: professor

The latest hit in professional hockey has Air Canada, one of the NHL's major sponsors, threatening to pull their support from the league. The move by the airline also has local business experts talking.

The hit saw Boston Bruins player Zdeno Chara land a crushing blow against Montreal Canadiens' forward Max Pacioretty, leaving him with a severe concussion and broken vertebrae. Pacioretty is now recovering at home.

Montreal police launched a criminal investigation against Chara on Thursday, but the NHL has chosen not to suspend him.

"As a strong supporter and sponsor of NHL hockey in Canada and several U.S. cities, Air Canada is very concerned with the state of hockey today." Dennis Vandal, the company's Director of Marketing Communications wrote in the letter, which was sent to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, and the six Canadian teams in the league.

Bettman is downplaying the threat from the airline, who charters flights for 11 teams in the league.

"Air Canada is a great brand, as is the NHL. If they decide they need to do other things with their sponsorship dollars that's their prerogative."

But Dan Mason, a Professor of Sport Management in Edmonton, says the league is walking a fine line, and a threat of this magnitude could prompt other sponsors to pull their support as well.

"If you had enough interest or enough of an outcry from enough sponsors that have enough of an impact on the NHL's operation than certainly you may see him react differently." Mason said Thursday.

NHL General Managers are set to meet next week in Florida.

With files from Ryan Ellis.