I think one of the problems in the US is the poor quality of their broadcasts. I'm not surprised no one watches the games down there: the broadcasts look like they're done by public access cable. The ice is dark, the screen cluttered, the camera work second rate, and the crowd noise is barely audible. I am a diehard fan and can hardly stand watching the games on VS.

In Canada, their national hockey broadcast is "Hockey Night in Canada" (our equivalent to Monday Night Football) If you ever get a chance, check it out. Intelligent commentary. The screen is uncluttered, bright and in focus - you never lose the puck. Crowd noise is cranked and makes you feel like you're at the game, not watching it on some old bus terminal coin-operated tv.

If the US broadcasters learned how to do hockey properly it would go a long way to increasing the game's popularity.

That and getting rid of the instigator rule.