The demographic trends are against the NHL in the US and Canada. In Canada, fans increasingly gravitate to B-ball. It's more global. It's more diverse. I'm a huge hockey fan but the writing is on the wall. Hockey is too expensive to play and too 'distant' of a sport (players are shrouded in armor) and most immigrant communities have no knowledge of the sport. B-ball and soccer are easy (and cheap) to play. If the NHL isn't pro-active in attracting ethnic communities, its business will suffer - if anything, the $$$$ should motivate the NHL. Otherwise it'll be a niche sport.