It wasn’t too long ago that the NHL was considered a “top” sport in the U.S. That is, until a myriad of decisions (hockey in Florida, Tennessee, Carolina, and Columbus, OH) and a cancellation of an entire season dropped it into obscurity, only to be surpassed in popularity by MMA, golf, and competitive eating.

But the NHL reappeared on the national scene again this year in a big way. Being led by its young stars, including Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, the NHL put on a fantastic regular season, and an even more impressive post-season, which, if only for a moment, caught the national spotlight.

The NHL Playoffs ended with the Detroit Red Wings solidifying their spot this season as a truly great team with a thrilling six game series against Crosby’s Penguins. Some of the growing attention though has to be in part that traditional teams such as the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers were back in. While playoff trademark teams such as the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and the New Jersey Devils remained strong. But more importantly for the NHL, the rise of young superstars has made the game exciting again, espcially with both Crosby and Ovechkin in the playoffs.

The NHL, much like the NBA, got its dream matchup in the Stanley Cup Finals, by having the powerhouse Red Wings go up against the deserving annointed Crosby and his Penguins. The series played out fantasticly, with the Red Wings taking an early series lead, only to have Crosby come alive to steal a game in Pittsburgh. This was followed by an epic three overtime game in Detroit, in which the Penguins had to score a last second goal just to extend the game, and eventually the series. The Wings, however, captured the Cup in Pittsburgh in the next game, notwithstanding a late game surge that almost saw an improbable comeback by the Pens for the second game in a row.

Were the Finals good enough to make the NHL relevant again in professional sports in America? Only time will tell, but the NHL came back in a big way this year, let’s hope it can sustain this for the seasons to come. Wanna discuss more sports? Come visit our Sports Forum.

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