Crosby shined in the outdoor game...
Sid the Kid Needs More Attention
Obviously every sports fan out there knows that the NHL has been hurting the past few seasons, thanks to lockout season of 2004-05. But, in an attempt to compete with baseball and football and even basketball, the NHL changed its rule to accommodate the common fan who might be flipping through the channels or attending a hockey game for the first time.
By taking away two line passes, cracking down on obstruction penalties, and eliminating ties by deciding regular season games with shootouts after a 4-on-4 overtime period, the NHL has changed drastically over the past three seasons. The league officials have taken away the goalie’s ability to play the puck in the corners and decreased their equipment size while even toying with the idea of changing the size of the goal. All of these minor details might increase scoring and provide more offense for the fans, but does it really market the NHL and attract the traditional sports fan to sit down and watching a full game?
The answer to that question is an easy and simple no. What markets the league is the outdoor game that took place this past weekend in frigid Buffalo with the game’s biggest star in the middle of it, scoring the shootout winner. When a regular season game can draw a crowd that fills a NFL stadium and achieves ratings not seen last in hockey since 1996, that is when the NHL should realize they are on to something. Like Barry Melrose said on ESPN last night, the outdoor game needs to become an annual event in hockey and it needs to be more spectacular each season to give the fans something new and exciting to look forward to.
But, why stop there? The obvious help would be for the NHL to return to ESPN all season, but while Versus acts as what most would think to be a temporary replacement, hockey should turn to commercials and other public relations stunts to bring back “the coolest game on Earth.”
Sidney Crosby shined in the outdoor game as his Penguins were victorious over the Sabres, but once a year on a big stage is not enough for the 20-year phenom who has taken the NHL by storm in his first two and a half seasons. He needs to be marketed the way baseball has done with Derek Jeter, how football has promoted Peyton Manning, and how basketball has built up LeBron James. Crosby has immense talent on the ice and a marketing personality that needs to be seen nationwide. His name has become synonymous with Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux in Canada, but the U.S. has yet to even scratch the surface on this youngster’s stardom.
Sidney Crosby became a NHL captain at the age of 19. He lead the league in scoring and captured the MVP award while still a teen as well and it was only a few weeks he took part in his first professional fight against Andrew Ference of the Boston Bruins. Crosby is the complete package and it is time he starts getting delivered to the U.S. sports fans.
Dangler of the Week
Ilya Kovalchuk is the NHL leading goal scorer with 33 goals, but since Christmas the NHL’s second leading scorer has been held scoreless in only one game. Over five games, Kovalchuk tallied 4 goals and 10 points, though his Thrashers went 2-3 in that span.
Bender of the Week
The slumping Lightning have been hurting for an offensive explosion and Brad Richards has been part of the problem. Richards recorded just one assist in four games this weeks and -4 rating as Tampa Bay went 0-4, extending their losing streak to five straight and eight of nine.
