I want to preface this post with the fact that I love hockey. I grew up playing it in North Central Wisconsin and love the game at every level. So it’s not that I don’t want to love the NHL, I do, I just cannot accept what Gary Bettman has done the highest level of the game these last 10 or so years. Hockey fans are some of the most passionate fans, that was proven when they quickly came back after the lockout and with this years late season attendance figures as the playoffs approach. But to be a truly successful league, and to give the sport the limelight it deserves changes need to occur…so here are a few suggestions to bring back the popularity of the game.

Contract, Contract, Contract: Yes, it is blasphemy to take away money from owners but this needs to happen. Hockey, like baseball started expanding in the heyday of ESPN and big TV contracts. It started with moving the North Stars out of Minnesota and moving them to Dallas. Since then we have seen teams pop up in Florida (Lightning and Panthers), Nashville, Atlanta, North Carolina, Phoenix and Columbus. I’m sorry, I know some of the southern teams have had recent success, but hockey is not a sport that transplants well. Not only have you spread your talent thin you have created a league in many middle markets where fans are fickle, regional TV is smaller and it has taken several years to educate the fans on what hockey is all about.

Get a Real Television Contract: Versus is best known for its Sunday turkey hunting and fishing shows and the Tour de France. This is not the station for a professional sports league. Yes, you have a deal with NBC but it is not an every weekend affair, consistent coverage is only for a few weeks in January and February. It is like its a second thought to the network and its coverage shows. Last year, I can’t remember which game, the station cut coverage of the hockey game that was going into overtime, and went to a rain delayed horse race. Seriously? You need a TV partner who is going to showcase the league, not treat it for filler between the end of Notre Dame football season and before the second half of NASCAR season.

Showcase ALL of your Talent: One of the great things about mid to late 90’s hockey was that there were so many characters in hockey. ESPN and the NHL did a great job of showcasing the likes of Chelios, Roenick, Hull, Gretzky, etc. Now the NHL is hanging their hat on Sidney Crosby, he is a great player, but you cannot market one player to a whole nation of fans. There is a ton of talent in the NHL that needs to be showcased. Someone needs to work with the teams and the league and identify the top talent and figure out ways to market them.

Shorten the Season: The NBA can go till June because they have three stations that carry their games. The NHL does not. Shortening the season would allow the NHL to be more center stage during the late spring. As it stands now the NHL playoffs and finals are going when NASCAR is in full swing, baseball is starting to pick up steam, the NBA is winding down, and Golf is well underway. It would also make the regular season more meaningful. No one wants to watch in October when it really doesn’t matter until April and June!

I would also shorten the first series of the playoffs to five games. This would push up the finals to before the first week of June and give the first round some added drama.

If you were commissioner what would you do?