Can Hockey Ever Return? - Joe Chacon's Blog

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Joe Chacon's Blog

Can Hockey Ever Return?

Posted on December 1, 2012 at 03:58 AM.

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Typically I'll throw some stats your way and analyze why something is going good or bad, but this is simply a somber question. Will we ever get hockey back?

At first it was another labor dispute. As fans, we've all been through it before, but even the most pessimistic of fans didn�t think we�d repeat history and lose an entire NHL season. Of course, it hasn�t happened yet, but it�s certainly not looking good.

As a Kings fan, I couldn�t have been looking forward to this season any more. The raising of the banner and the feeling of hockey town in what many consider to be one of the fakest cities in the country is something I�ll never forget during last year�s playoff run.

The scary thing is I don�t hear any rumblings from people around here about there being a lack of hockey. The lockout isn�t leading off SportsCenter like the NFL and NBA labor disputes did, and the guy bagging my groceries isn�t saying how much he misses seeing Dustin Brown and his toothless smile check people into the boards.

Of course, my experience is just a small sample size. Hockey is much bigger in other parts of the country and I know many of you miss the NHL in ways others can�t understand. Or, perhaps I�m wrong? Perhaps you are fed up with the way the NHL is operating (or not operating) and you�re to the point where you don�t care if the league comes back or not.

Personally, I think there is going to be a season. Basically a half season with all the excitement of the playoffs -- arguably the best atmosphere in all of sports.

Then again, maybe that's just wishful thinking. Do the Kings get to raise two banners next year if the season does get wiped out completely?

Sound Off: Will the NHL return this season? How much do you miss hockey?

Joe Chacon is a staff writer for Operation Sports and a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JoeChacon.

Comments

# 1 Acedeck @ Dec 1

While I do think it'll have a negative effect on its short term popularity, I do believe hockey will recover. It was really gaining steam last year, and hockey has been steadily growing since the previous lockout. I miss hockey like crazy! I can't stand that we are only a week or so away from primarily having only NBA highlights to watch on ESPN, outside of the bowl games left to be played.

If there is still a partial season, I think hockey will recover nicely. If not, I can see it having a nearly fatal impact on the sport. For a sport that's considered in 4th place in popularity here in America, behind NFL, NBA, and MLB, it cannot afford to sit out an entire season. With that said, I think it'd take a lot to completely kill off the sport. It has too much of a foothold here in the states now. It's an unbelievably popular sport to play for youths, and more non-traditional fans have been picking up the sport as of late. Hopefully we can get it back soon! I need me some Datsyuk dekes.