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Original Deep Six

by
Jon Asato
Featured Writer

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The year was 1967. The goalies didn't wear masks and players didn't wear helmets. It was the era of the unregulated banana blade and it marked Gordie Howe's second decade in the league. Six teams played 70 regular season games to decide which four qualified for the war for Lord Stanley's Cup. It was the last year of the Original Six: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Montreal and Toronto. It was the end of a very special sports tradition.

Expansion soon became the league's goal. During the 1966-67 season the league received 14 applications for NHL franchises. Six were approved and the 1967-68 season began with 12 teams. The Original Six remained together and were known as the East Division. The expansion teams, Oakland, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis, were placed in the West Division. After looking at the first three teams on this list you can't help but wonder who were the eight rejected cities. Maybe they should have expanded then to save us our current pains.

The year is 1996. Twenty-six teams compete for 16 playoff spots. The league's talent is so watered down, according to coaches and general managers, that many teams can't put together two solid lines, never mind that most can't assemble one good line. Canadian teams are planning to move south, if they haven't already. Sometimes they see less fans playing at home than playing away. An Australian owns the rights to broadcast Canada's sport on television. His network uses $6 million dollars to set the puck on fire. A third year player earns just as much, but has never won the Hart Trophy, a scoring title or the Cup. Lord Stanley is turning in his grave.

Is this the direction the gods of hockey intended for the sport? Idealistically the Original Six had it all: Teams packed with talent, rivalries unmatched by any sport and standing-room only arenas filled with rabid fans. Expansion goes opposite these things. Money is the obvious reason, but other than that the league wishes to "expand its fan base." Now the NHL faces a double-edged sword. Its biggest problem is to keep traditionalists happy while attracting new fans.

The league's attempts have ranged from humorous to the insulting. The fire puck, the Islanders' new sweaters and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are just a few examples of where the NHL favored marketing over anything sensible. The league's novelty-marketing employs unneeded gimmicks like brand-name recognition, funky jerseys in the latest "in" colors and promotional celebrities who can't tell icing from offsides. Novelty is not the way to sell a game steeped in tradition. The NHL must concentrate on this fact for hockey not only means tradition it also means culture.

Ask anyone what is the first thing they think of when they think Canada and they'll tell you hockey. Other than Bachman Turner Overdrive or John Candy, Canada's only cultural contribution is hockey. Hockey means just that much to Canadians, more than baseball means to Americans and maybe more so. Only when this idea is not taken for granted will the NHL realize that changing sweater colors, taking team logo's off pucks and using glow worms as pucks is not the route toward growth.

Baseball never felt the growing pains that the NHL feels now because baseball's seeds are sown early. Baseball fans will tell you that they're fans because their parents took them to games when they were young. They grew up with their team, win or lose. They watch the game because they know the history of the game. Even the average baseball fan can tell you a few stats or the background of the players he or she grew up with. Sports are the stories of a few special individuals, a few unique moments. Hockey has all of those people, all of those moments, and so much more.

Hockey needs to approach marketing this way. Start the fans off young while the Messiers, Greztkys and Marios are still around. Find a way to get ticket prices down and increase television coverage. If hockey isn't so popular than why are the ticket prices so high? Make the game affordable to families and not just the suits. Those high price seats in Colorado may be sold for the rest of the season, but if the suits don't show up then get some families and a whole lot of children to sit there. Find a way to do that and the Lanch' will remain in Colorado for a very long time.

The NHL needs to encourage families and their children to attend games in every city. They need to force owners to provide heavily discounted sections for families and provide more fan appreciation nights. Make the players more accessable since this is their problem too. Time and time again the players have been and still are the best marketing tool of the NHL. Teach the children about Gordie Howe's 26 seasons and the goalies that never wore masks. Market the individuals and the glorious history of the game, not the latest fashions and video technology. This is what the NHL must do to maintain its marketability: Highlight the players, not the puck.

Another Reason to Love Wayne Gretzky. . . Literally

On tuesday night, Aug. 9, 1988 I sat in wonder, quite depressed, as one of my hockey heroes, Wayne Gretzky, was traded by the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. I wondered what in Peter Pocklington's mind would cause him to trade The Great One. I wondered for only a moment and quickly learned to hate Peter "Pocket's" greedy ways. Then a bigger question entered my mind: Why Los Angeles?

On tuesday night, Feb. 27, 1996 I sat in wonder again, on a slightly different couch, and watched as Al Morganti, Le Coq Sportif's broadcasting hero, talked about the trading of The Great One. Again I felt depressed, which was odd considering that Gretzky was being traded to a St. Louis team with much more talent than the Kings. I thought to myself, "That Keenan is nuts, but this just might work." Then a much bigger statement entered my mind: It's all Janet Jones' fault.

Yes, as much as I hate to say it, but it's all Janet Jones' fault. I haven't thought about it for years, but in a way I blamed Wayne's lovely wife Janet, who lived in Los Angeles, with Gretzky's first trade. I'm sure that Wayne could have ended up with a better organization or a more talented club, but he ended with the flunky Kings. And as a result of that the name The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim exists.

The media down-played Janet Jones' role this time only mentioning that St. Louis is her hometown. Sure, the Rangers balked on signing Gretzky preventing a dream reunion with Mark Messier, depressing me even more, but I still can't help myself. Nobody wants to say it, but yes sir, I do blame Janet a little bit on this one. Maybe I'm just bitter. Sorry, Wayne, I do wish you all the luck in the world. Here's to hoping you win another Cup before you retire.

I learned something through all of this though. If you want a hockey team in your home town just get Wayne Gretzky to fall in love with you. If do the chances of an NHL team being in your home town will increase dramatically. Hell, I'd marry Gretzky if that meant that I could get a hockey team in Hawaii. How's the "Waikiki Kings" sound? Now that's another reason to love Wayne Gretzky.

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Le Coq Sportif: Guide To Hockey © Copyright 1996 Le Coq Sportif