People need to get over comparing the NHL to the NBA, NFL and soccer. ESPN barely mentions the league anymore since they no longer own any broadcasting rights and NHL fans get pissed off about it, needlessly. Hockey has millions of fans in Canada, the US, Russia, Finland, Sweden and Czech, good enough! The United States has 330 million people, most of them will never be hockey fans because they're not exposed to playing it, kids grow up with basketball and football as part of their lives. Unless somebody is going to build a ton of expensive ice rinks in every corner of the US hockey will remain a niche regional sport - which is great, I like that about it, it IS 'the coolest sport on earth'.

That said the NHL really has to do something to increase scoring, of all the leagues the NHL is the least progressive, run by dinosaurs. If I were a multi billionaire I'd start up a new league playing 4 on 4 hockey. It's exciting as hell, pond hockey with hitting.

There are idiots in the US sports media who marginalize hockey, saying it doesn't really deserve to be included in this imaginary '4 major pro sports' class.

I think in this day and age websites are about the best indicator and Alexa shows the NHL absolutely belongs. For all the people who hate Gary Bettman, and that seems like every NHL fan - the man has done a fantastic job, the owners winning the lockout season did the sport a world of good.

NBA.com Global Rank 360

http://traffic.alexa.com/graph?w=340...9999&u=nba.com

MLB.com Global Rank 594

http://traffic.alexa.com/graph?w=340...9999&u=mlb.com

NFL.com Global Rank 741

http://traffic.alexa.com/graph?w=340...9999&u=nfl.com

NHL.com Global Rank 830

http://traffic.alexa.com/graph?w=340...9999&u=nhl.com

Cool, thanks for the normal article :thumbsup

One more thing - what about TV, could it be that NHL is shown less on TV and that is why fans must go to arenas?
I am taking this idea from Mutts post about espn not broadcasting it etc.

The NHL is widely available on television through cable, satellite and now Internet. It's always been said that of all sports hockey needs to be seen live, to appreciate the speed and the hitting, it's also always been said that it doesn't translate well to television and there was/is some truth to that. People always mention that they can't see the puck, it's small. I don't agree with that so much, you often in football don't see the path of the ball through the air or see it in the hands of the running back carrying it, same for baseball and golf.

In a city like Chicago it's always been said there's 20,000 hockey fans and you can find them all in the seats attending the games. There's a little bit of truth to that, hockey fans are passionate and go to games - hockey doesn't have the 'casual fans' that the other sports have. You either love hockey or it doesn't exist to you - in the US anyway.

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

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Your Stanley Cup Champs :thumbsup

Yawn. Howard hasn't looked the same since his return.

Never been a big Howard supporter, but I love my Red Wings. Just wish Zetterberg could play, but If we can get pass Boston, he can be back for round 2.

The fact that the red wings barely snuck into the playoffs this year says a lot. Yes they have a good number of trophies in the case, but they are rebuilding.

Especially for a team that has been in the play offs 23 years in a row.

True but 23 years in a row playoff is something hard to do :thumbsup

That's what I'm talking about!

I was just editing my post to add that. :P

I just love to see Zetterberg and Datsyuk get one more before they retire :)

They are great players, but it pains me to route for them as long as they are wearing that silly red and white.

lol I understand that, we all have our teams :thumbsup

That we do.

I honestly just chirp the Red Wings mainly cause it's my dads team, and even though I love him I have to have something to pester him about.

Mighty Detroit :thumbsup

lol well maybe it can be a Sharks, Red Wings final. Then you can really chirp at your dad :)

Total Kings fan here, but them Sharks are tearing us a new asshole.

Last nights game was more like what I was expecting the whole series to be like. Seriously though, Quick needs to stop being a little punk. Bear hugging players legs so they cant follow play is not ok.

All and all stoked on the 3-0 lead. hopefully we can pull out another win on kings ice and take the boys home to rest for a few.

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The Blueshirts

the only thing good about the Rangers is my nugget. I mean St. Luis.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/i...5xg4RGfjdtHy7k

Go go Sharks !

Blues and Blackhawks has been amazing, but that results in mutual annihilation. The winner will be too exhausted to make it through another round.

Kings have been swallowed whole by the Sharks, blood is in the water there. Sharks are looking amazing but Ducks I think will come out on top in the west.

Hope the Pens don't let any shots through to Fleury. He is either fantastic or horrible and that is no way to get to the Cup. Letang is way off his game so that is going to present issues.

Screw Boston, just on principle. They are so good the Almighty should send an Avenging Angel to cleave Chara in two just for the affront to the Creator's perfection.

Why is Montreal so good right now... starting to freak me out. Wasn't Montreal the team that finally killed Boston's big streak?

Ducks vs. Montreal for the long slap shot from behind the blue line. :winkwink:

But I still want the Pens to go all the way...

After the Blue jacket - penguins game yesterday Who knows what will happen. They pulled that win out of no where. Flurry should have had that OT goal.

Boston will probably win this round, but going up against Montreal they are a much larger team. I don't know if Montreal will be able to hold them off for 4, as much as I would love to see them do it.

My sharks hopefully will be able to bring this second game on kings ice home for a sweep, but its more then likely going to be the hardest game so far. Definitely is not going to be blow outs like the first two.

stars for the win suckers

cup cup cup

Then that means you are using the word out of context, thanks for the clarification.

Keeping fingers crossed for my sharpies tonight!

How about cross your fingers for my Red Wings tonight. They sure could use it :winkwink:

hahahahaha like that would ever happen! I'm routing for the Bruins in that series.

Well looks like my boys came to play tonight. Glad Zetterberg is back :winkwink:

Woot - Way to dominate Wild!

I fucking hate the Avalanche...

Seriously... what is it about former great players that epitomize toughness coming back as management/owners and becoming whining bitches?

Gosh darn it sharks. Ill be at the game Saturday, you better pull out a win!

It's tough to watch that's for sure.

Yeah I did not see a 3 games to nothing run by the Sharks over the Kings, for sure. Nice win for LA last night but it might be a case of too little too late.


Red Wings are putting up a fight, and they did have a nice first game win but I think they're just too overmatched with the Bruins and it's showing.

As for the Habs, wow, just wow. I'm not sure if it's more the case that Tampa just completely dropped the ball or that Montreal simply played that well, probably a combination of the two, but I did not see a 4-0 sweep going into this series, for either team. If they win their round 2 series I wouldn't advise anyone to leave their cars parked on St. Catherine's avenue that night. :D (Hopefully the shopowners down there have leared and have installed shatterproof glass)

The Canadienes get a long rest while they wait for round 2. Don't know if that'll be a good thing or bad thing for them doing all that waiting around.


Chicago - St Louis --- great series. Will the winner be too tired and beat up for round 2? I don't know about the Blues but the 'Hawks have ridden this rodeo before and managed to slither on through so I'm thinking if they win they'll find a way in the next rounds. That's what Stanley Cup teams do. They endure, and they find a way.

No one out there (not here, out there, in the twighlight zone of the world) seems to be talking about how great the Minnesota Wild are doing. Nice looking win for them last game. What is that series, tied 2-2 now?

Several surprises in these playoffs so far. Several more to come I'm sure. I wasn't much tuned into the Montreal-Tampa series but now I'm very much looking forward to seeing how they do in round 2.

Yeah my Red Wings had some fight in them last night, but it wasn't enough :(

Minnesota vs Blue Jackets in the finals...


Hold on... that's just crazy talk. I think I have to quit taking the blotter during Cup run...

Chicago is just so good, if we weren't in the salary cap era this team would be right up there with the greatest dynasties in NHL history.

Spotted the Blues who aren't scrubs a 2 game lead and then found their groove and health to sweep 4 straight.

Damn it sharks. You better step it up in LA tonight or I might be shopping for a new favorite team!