PatStackSlate:

I think selling rivalries is fine, but it doesn't solve the problem I mentioned in the article. The way new fans are taught to watch the game on TV is what needs to be different.

I've barely been watching hockey for a year, but I think I have a good grasp of the game. Hell, I didn't even intend to get hooked on it.

It started with me making fun of my boyfriend's favorite team in last year's playoffs, but within a couple of games, I was watching it because I was fascinated by it. Of course, it helped to have someone on hand to explain the things that confused me, but I didn't think it was that difficult to pick up.

After our team had been eliminated, a used copy of NHL 2007 helped me get a better sense of the rules and the strategy involved in the game. When the start of this season rolled around, I was loving the game even more than I did last spring.