In Visitors, I invite one person each month to share perspectives on a sport, a sporting event, sporting aspects or any thing in between. This week, Warren Kelly, who had written about the NHL season, joins us to analyse the NHL playoffs. If you would like to contribute for a future edition of Visitors, do not hesitate to e-mail me.

By Warren Kelly

The NHL playoffs are over. The season itself was a study in contrast and surprise – the playoffs were a fitting end to that season. Major market teams that everyone thought would go all the way were swept. Small market teams who had never had playoff success rolled over everyone in their way. And the NHL proved that it doesn’t matter where the team is, how much money it has to spend, or any of that – anyone really can win the Stanley Cup.

Round 1 started off with a list of A players – the New Jersey Devils, the New York Rangers, the Detroit Red Wings, the Dallas Stars – and a list of the “also rans” – the Carolina Hurricanes, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, the Edmonton Oilers, the Buffalo Sabres, the Colorado Avalanche, the Nashville Predators. The A teams were expected to move on, and the also rans were expected to roll over and let them. But it didn’t work out that way at all.

New York and New Jersey ran into each other in round 1. This was expected to be the tough series, but Jersey swept the Rangers. Detroit met bottom-seed Edmonton, and lost in six games, showing fans exactly what was in store for them this year in the playoffs. Edmonton consistently outplayed their opponents, and left a lot of “experts” guessing. The Stars, who were a popular pick to win it all this season, lost in five games to a Colorado team who also took everyone by surprise. The underdogs were all over the favorites early on – with the exception of the Jersey Devils. And there was speculation about how long they would last.

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Heat’s first ever title. Another title for Shaq. One for Wade and Mourning. Don’t tell me I didn’t tell you Heat will win it and Mr. Nowitzki will run out of steam. World Cup fever has meant that I have missed most of the NBA finals and an exciting NHL playoffs final series as well.

Dhoomk2 informed me that ESPN-star haven’t been showing the finals live in India. I was shocked by it as this is in complete contrast to the Jordan days where then showed all games live from around the Conference semis. When he switched on his TV set late at night, they were showing some aerobics or something. Bewildering.

It is true that the NBA has gone downhill since then but the current playoffs have seen a rebirth for the league. ESPN-star missed the bus to attract new viewers to the game and have a select audience. Live telecasts of the NBA don’t clash with other sports most of the time and had a more serious approach been given to NBA, I am sure it would have reaped long term benefits.

I kept seeing repeated ads of TNA between breaks of the world cup highlights show apart from the cricket ads. Surely other sports have their audiences in India apart from cricket, football and erm, wrestling? A few days ago, I saw an ad for Wimbledon thus -

The only time you get to see girls groan on grass.

Uh WHAT? How is that a good way to draw an audience for a sport? If people are interested in porn or have a soft porn mentality, they won’t switch on to a sports channel for the same. Even if they switch on to sports for a moment as a result of this, you are targetting the wrong kind of audience which isn’t sustainable.

It also shows that you are not confident in the sports viewing audience of the country. True, the segment is smaller than usual. But if you think having a Harsha Bhogle presenting the world cup will draw in the house wifes and the cricket following audience to follow football in India, you are missing the picture. It is similar to Mandira Bedi being called up by Set-Max though not as clearly identifiable.

If you do not take the audience seriously, it will not take you seriously. It will switch to the other sports channels whenever it can - some thing I am sure you would not like.

In Visitors, I invite one person each week to share perspectives on a sport, a sporting event, sporting aspects or any thing in between. This week, Warren Kelly a huge ice hockey and NHL fan, joins us to give his thoughts on the NHL season behind us. If you would like to contribute for a future edition of Visitors, do not hesitate to e-mail me.

The Season That Almost Wasn’t

By Warren Kelly

A year ago, nobody was really quite sure if there was going to be an NHL season this year at all. Debate and argument from both sides of a bitter labor dispute threatened the sport – the only professional sport I’ve really enjoyed watching in about five years.

But when the puck dropped on the 2005-2006 NHL season, it dropped on a sport that had changed dramatically. There were rules changes that were designed to increase scoring. Sudden Death rules were eliminated – ties would once more be decided by shootout. A lot of people wondered how the fans would react. I wasn’t sure I would like the changes. I am a goalie fan, so I wasn’t thrilled with the new rules limiting goalies – I really didn’t care about high scoring games. I enjoy watching skilled net minders taking care of business, and I was skeptical.

The NHL did suffer for the elimination of the ‘04-05 season – ESPN dropped them like the proverbial hot potato. Even when the league picked up a cable contract, it was with the Outdoor Life Network (who?), which most hockey fans (myself included) had no access to. Thousands of fans throughout the US found themselves limited to watching the local teams, which was great for fans in Detroit, not so much for fans in Ohio, or Georgia, or anyone who followed a team other than the local favorite. I’m a Washington Capitols fan from years back, and being stuck watching only the Columbus Blue Jackets each week hurt. But at least it was hockey, and it was fun to watch.

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The 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs reach it’s final stages. Oilers take on Hurricanes.

Ice hockey is fast paced and very exciting. Then there is always the possibility of some awesome fights.

I hope I can catch at least a few games of the series. Oilers vs Hurricane - where else would you get such names for teams!

This year’s Stanley Cup play offs would be the first in two years after last year’s lock out. This means that fans are very excited and cannot wait. Chris Young at Toronto Star’s JABS caught up with some prolific bloggers and discussed the pertinent issues related to NHL and of course, the play offs at hand. Check out part 1 and part 2. Also, check out Off Wing Opinion size things up with the regular season ending here.

Update: Off Wing Opinion rounds up the blogs supporting each team in the play offs. A terrific compilation!

New Jersey police says several NHL players and Wayne Gretzky’s wife are involved in a gambling ring. This is will further affect NHL’s popularity as this article from The Toronto Star reports.