In June 1994, Sports Illustrated published a provocative cover story declaring, “Why the NHL is Hot and the NBA Isn’t.”
The theory was that hockey, following the Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers, was gaining more and more attention, while the NBA, clinging to its biggest star (Michael Jordan) playing minor league baseball, was disappearing . Perhaps the NHL could even surpass the popularity the NBA had enjoyed since Magic Johnson and Larry Bird arrived in the early 1980s.
This would obviously not get out of hand. Not even close.
NHL owners locked the players out to start the next season and whatever momentum had been there was lost. Yet in America, basketball is a much more popular and better understood game, hockey has never been a major television property, and the mismanagement of the general leagues has left its stars under-exposed, if they were known at all.
The NBA still rules. The NHL – as big as its promotion can be and as loyal as its fans are – is still looking for every opportunity to lead the way and capture the nation’s sporting attention.
Well, here may be just that opportunity.
The NBA conference finals could be wrapped up on Tuesday if Dallas completes a sweep of Minnesota. On Monday, Boston eliminated Indiana 4-0. With the NBA Finals not starting until June 6, there may be an eight-night gap on the sports calendar with only one obvious thing to fill it.
Hockey.
And not just hockey, but two conference finals that have been dynamic so far; featuring overtime, comebacks and huge shifts in momentum, played by four highly skilled teams and some of the biggest stars in the sport.
There’s the big market, Original Six Rangers led by scorers Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck plus clutch goaltender Igor Shesterkin who somehow has a 2-1 lead over a deep, ruthless Florida team. The Panthers have the otherworldly play of Aleksander Barkov and the sandpaper style of Matthew Tkachuk.
Out west, a Dallas team that has a different star every night is up 2-1 over Edmonton – thanks to Jason Robertson, who hadn’t scored in 10 games and scored a hat trick on Monday. The Oilers are obviously not lacking in stars. They have two of the biggest in the game in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who jump off the ice on almost every shift.
Each series seems to go deep, if not a full seven games, meaning that night after night during the NBA sabbatical, the NHL is putting out its best product right there in primetime.
Additionally, the eastern conference series is broadcast on ESPN/ABC (the west is on TNT), providing reason for the ESPN firehose to support shows to hype and discuss the sport. For years, the NHL was on NBC and the NBC Sports Network, which did an admirable job but remained out of the immediate consciousness of sports fans.
Make no mistake: This won’t suddenly make the NHL incredibly popular or add millions of new fans, let alone surpass the NBA. For a league and a sport that has long coveted any kind of recognition, respect and attention, this is a unique and perfectly timed opportunity.
The NHL can enjoy not having to fight outside of basketball’s shadow for a week or more because there is nothing to cast that shadow. It’s hockey time; hockey opportunity.
The very possibility of McDavid receiving the appreciation his play deserves should have the league offices drooling.
At 27 years old, the three-time MVP is already an all-time great, with 100 points in seven of his eight full campaigns. His erratic ability to change direction and attacking style of play translate even to those who may not be familiar with all the rules.
“Is Connor McDavid the Mahomes of hockey,” a friend who rarely watches the sport texts after watching him play against Dallas on Monday.
He is, except without the championships, which is part of the ongoing storyline of these playoffs. The Oilers have a lot of superstars, but is that enough to win a Stanley Cup, and can they keep them if not?
Meanwhile, in the East, the Rangers hold a series lead despite being largely outmatched by a Panthers team car. New York’s huge fan base — “Let’s Go Rangers” chants broke out in Florida on Sunday — has breathed new life into these playoffs.
However, any curious observer can quickly become captivated by Florida’s playing style: a brutal, aggressive forecheck system that is both exciting and effective. It’s hard to imagine a hockey team ever exerting so much pressure – and thus taking so much action.
None of this is simple, of course. Hockey can be simple yet confusing. The best players are not always on the ice. Everyone wears a helmet, the jersey numbers are hard to see and the pace of play is frenetic. That has never been the case for everyone.
However, the NHL doesn’t need everyone. What it wants – what almost all hockey fans want – is a moment with the stage to itself. By fate and schedule it may finally be here.
