You would think with all of the focus, time, effort, and above all, money, that the NHL has expended trying to cram the game down the throats of US sports fans, that they would have done a better job with the television contracts. They would have been better off to let ESPN broadcast games for free, than take whatever pittance Versus is paying them, and have noone watching.

With the emergence of Crosby and Ovechkin, along with some of the great young talent in the league, and close playoff races lately, if ESPN had been carrying games since 05-06, the NHL would have much less awful attendance in the sunbelt imo. It still wouldn't be good, but strong markets would be stronger, and weak markets would be less weak.