NHL's Gary Bettman Says He Binged 'Heated Rivalry,' Praises Show For Helping League

The NHL's top suit, Gary Bettman, confessed he binge-watched all six episodes of "Heated Rivalry" in one night ... and while he admits it can get a bit steamy, he says it's had a positive impact on the league!!

Bettman -- the league's 73-year-old commissioner -- says the NHL has been well aware of the hit HBO Max series that's taken the world by storm, and you can add him to the list of fans.

"It was very well done," Bettman told reporters in a scrum before Thursday’s game between the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals. "The content, particularly for young people, might be a little spicy. And so you have to balance that out in terms of how you embrace it."

Yep, the most buttoned-up man in hockey couldn’t stop watching the sexy series -- especially because it low-key replicated real NHL moments fans recognize instantly.

Bettman said he caught nods to league history, from Sochi trips to the All-Star Game in Tampa, and gave the show credit for how well it was put together.

"I thought the storyline was very compelling and a lot of fun, because I could see where they were picking at things that we had in the past," Bettman added.

This wasn't just a curiosity watch -- he clearly was all the way locked in.

But before anyone crowns "Heated Rivalry" as official NHL-approved programming, Bettman made it clear the league has to tread carefully.