betED.com - The View from the Couch - by Gavin McDougald!
- The not so National Hockey League
Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. I wonder if NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is having that clich? dance through his head these days.
The economic system he instituted this past season may well have saved the National Hockey League from self-immolation, but this leveling of the playing field financially has also resulted in making the variation between the Stanley Cup contenders flatter than, well, a sheet of ice.
All the top seeds in the Western Conference hit the links after the first round. Of the five teams left in the post-season, (tonight Edmonton will likely reduce that number to four), four have never lifted the Stanley Cup. The other, the Oliers, hasn?t won it since 1990.
It?s a free for all out there. There is no dominance left in the NHL, no dynasties. Forget about Colorado or New Jersey or Detroit alternating winning it year after year. Now we?re faced with a new team winning year in and year out. Quite literally, anyone has a shot.
That?s parity baby, in all its glory.
For fans in each of the NHL cities, clearly that?s great news. However, for the league?s image on a whole, not so much.
The four teams who are going to compete in the Stanley Cup semi-finals are all very deserving, yet none is from big markets and has very little star power. The only true marquee guy left in the entire post-season is San Jose's Joe Thornton ? and at this writing, he?s just about out.
Its no-name guys against no-name guys. The national networks in the States, OLN and NBC, have been hunting and pecking for stories. We?re treated to features on players like Ilya Bryzgalov instead of a home-and-cooled-out Steve Yzerman.
As a result, on NBC a second round playoff game lost in the ratings game to NCAA Women?s Gymnastics.
This season has been one of adjustments for the NHL. The games are great, parity has resulted in everyone having a shot, the stands are full and most every team is back to making money.
Despite all that good news, the lack of interest from a national American audience drags on the game?s reputation. Such low numbers make it an easy target.
Washington Post columnist Tony Kornheiser put it rather succinctly, "Hockey is so dead in America, the players may as well still be locked out."
Tony is from Washington, so his disinterest is understandable considering how bad the team is there. But parity virtually ensures that no team will remain bad for long. Will he be writing the same thing in a few years when phenom Alexander Ovechkin is leading the NHL playoffs in scoring?
That?s the entire issue really. Regionally the NHL is doing great. Local TV ratings are through the roof. Yet nationally the NHL barely registers.
Ever since Gary Bettman was with the NBA, he has dreamt of making the NHL truly one of the big four sports in the States.
However, his saving the league by introducing mandated parity is making that dream appear to be impossible.
Stanley Cup Semi-final predictions:
(6) Anaheim vs. (8) Edmonton Oilers or No. 5 San Jose
Talk about things going their way. Anaheim has been rested since sweeping the Avalanche. After a long and brutal regular season compacted by an Olympics, they will have more than a week off before playing in the conference finals. Healthy and firing on all cylinders, they?ll face a beat up and tired opponent regardless of who wins. And to sweeten the pot, if it is indeed Edmonton, they?ll get home ice.
Prediction: Anaheim in five
(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (4) Buffalo Sabers
It's the Cam Ward vs. Ryan Miller show. These two "Who are those guys" anchor the nets for these unlikely Stanley Cup contenders. A testament to Bettman's parity plan, both of their hometowns will be going completely ga-ga as they battle it out for the eastern conference title. However, the rest of the viewers in the east have long since moved on - even in Canada.
Prediction: Buffalo in six
Cheers - Gavin McDougald - AKA Couch
Remember to drop us a line at rants@betED.com to voice your opinion on one of McDougald's articles or on anything else you read at betED.com!
- The not so National Hockey League
Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. I wonder if NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is having that clich? dance through his head these days.
The economic system he instituted this past season may well have saved the National Hockey League from self-immolation, but this leveling of the playing field financially has also resulted in making the variation between the Stanley Cup contenders flatter than, well, a sheet of ice.
All the top seeds in the Western Conference hit the links after the first round. Of the five teams left in the post-season, (tonight Edmonton will likely reduce that number to four), four have never lifted the Stanley Cup. The other, the Oliers, hasn?t won it since 1990.
It?s a free for all out there. There is no dominance left in the NHL, no dynasties. Forget about Colorado or New Jersey or Detroit alternating winning it year after year. Now we?re faced with a new team winning year in and year out. Quite literally, anyone has a shot.
That?s parity baby, in all its glory.
For fans in each of the NHL cities, clearly that?s great news. However, for the league?s image on a whole, not so much.
The four teams who are going to compete in the Stanley Cup semi-finals are all very deserving, yet none is from big markets and has very little star power. The only true marquee guy left in the entire post-season is San Jose's Joe Thornton ? and at this writing, he?s just about out.
Its no-name guys against no-name guys. The national networks in the States, OLN and NBC, have been hunting and pecking for stories. We?re treated to features on players like Ilya Bryzgalov instead of a home-and-cooled-out Steve Yzerman.
As a result, on NBC a second round playoff game lost in the ratings game to NCAA Women?s Gymnastics.
This season has been one of adjustments for the NHL. The games are great, parity has resulted in everyone having a shot, the stands are full and most every team is back to making money.
Despite all that good news, the lack of interest from a national American audience drags on the game?s reputation. Such low numbers make it an easy target.
Washington Post columnist Tony Kornheiser put it rather succinctly, "Hockey is so dead in America, the players may as well still be locked out."
Tony is from Washington, so his disinterest is understandable considering how bad the team is there. But parity virtually ensures that no team will remain bad for long. Will he be writing the same thing in a few years when phenom Alexander Ovechkin is leading the NHL playoffs in scoring?
That?s the entire issue really. Regionally the NHL is doing great. Local TV ratings are through the roof. Yet nationally the NHL barely registers.
Ever since Gary Bettman was with the NBA, he has dreamt of making the NHL truly one of the big four sports in the States.
However, his saving the league by introducing mandated parity is making that dream appear to be impossible.
Stanley Cup Semi-final predictions:
(6) Anaheim vs. (8) Edmonton Oilers or No. 5 San Jose
Talk about things going their way. Anaheim has been rested since sweeping the Avalanche. After a long and brutal regular season compacted by an Olympics, they will have more than a week off before playing in the conference finals. Healthy and firing on all cylinders, they?ll face a beat up and tired opponent regardless of who wins. And to sweeten the pot, if it is indeed Edmonton, they?ll get home ice.
Prediction: Anaheim in five
(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (4) Buffalo Sabers
It's the Cam Ward vs. Ryan Miller show. These two "Who are those guys" anchor the nets for these unlikely Stanley Cup contenders. A testament to Bettman's parity plan, both of their hometowns will be going completely ga-ga as they battle it out for the eastern conference title. However, the rest of the viewers in the east have long since moved on - even in Canada.
Prediction: Buffalo in six
Cheers - Gavin McDougald - AKA Couch
Remember to drop us a line at rants@betED.com to voice your opinion on one of McDougald's articles or on anything else you read at betED.com!
