ESPN or Bust

Can hockey be a sport if it isn't on ESPN?

One of the most powerful forces in the NHL today is an organization that owns no standing in the NHL. And therein lies the problem.

ESPN has become the big elephant sitting in our room, only in this case everyone is talking about it.

The lack of a television deal with ESPN is now the No. 1 gripe in hockey today. Players complain about it. General managers complain about it. Coaches complain about it, and fans truly complain about it in most vulgar terms.

With 2008 almost upon us, the return of the NHL to ESPN should be the top priority for Commissioner Gary Bettman. It's that simple. No one cares about network television anymore. We care about ESPN. This is more important than figuring out how the NHL is going to score more goals. I don't want expanded nets. I want expanded visibility for the sport of hockey. To achieve that, we must return to ESPN.

I couldn't agree more.