The reason I point out the Olympics is because USA played Canada and then for people you don’t know hockey but watched then got to see a lot of those players in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Hawks had 7 Olympians and all played for a medal.

If there is no work stoppage in the NFL or NBA then it is a longshot and might be a more slow thing but it can happen

Without Football and Basketbal the NHL would get more coverage by ESPN and NBC would be showing Sunday hockey every week instead of just waiting till the Sunday night football is over.

If the NHL can get a contract with ESPN again that will go along way towards getting hockey to be a major sport. It will never rival the NFL because let’s be honest nothing can.

Hockey can make a run at the NBA and MLB and all it needs is a chance and what I’m saying is they might be getting a big chance. You say the finals are over and now no one cares well you can say the same in every sport, the only town that cares about the championship is the team that wins it.

It isn’t going to be overnight but it might just happen

Hockey is a great sport, but too much of the USA just does not have a team to care- I live here in San Diego- I would love to see NHL hockey come here, but until we build a new arena, it will never happen. hockey is on its way up though, ahead of the MLS rating now for sure. A new Gretzky type is needed, a guy who turns heads. or at least the return of the hansens, sure they are pushing 60, but foil is foil…