Quote:
Originally Posted by adam graves
Not so sure about that...maybe it's jus what the NHL needs...
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No, the south Florida and Arizona TV markets really aren't the biggest in the country, to put it mildly, and despite the ratings would doubtless be high regionally, most of the country would tune out. And with NBC finally putting in an effort to help the NHL (they're showing EVERY playoff game this year, either on NBC, CNBC, NBCSports (former Versus), or NHL Network) it would kind of be a waste.
Mind you, Florida isn't the worst market and if the Panthers made the final there'd be a bunch of new fans (like I was in '96) for an underdog team making it big again. But Phoenix is too far flung to have that appeal. Florida's the 4th most populous state in the country...Arizona, well...isn't.
The NHL's wet dream here is to see L.A. vs. NY Rangers in the final, but don't hold out too much hope for that.
but I guess I'll vote for a symbolic parallel to the 1996 playoffs and hope to see Philly in round 2. No Leclair-Lindros-Renberg to face this time, though 
