Sometimes it's not about what you're doing wrong, but what your competition is doing right. That's why Mike Babcock is spot on. Why wouldn't the NHL take after a flourishing sport like professional baseball whose success is predicated on parity and competitive balance? That's just good business. Mike Babcock has spent the majority of his career in small market hockey cities like Detroit and Toronto, how could anyone consider this proposal anything but selfless? He's just a well liked figure in the hockey community trying to follow the same philosophy that made George Steinbrenner so universally loved by peers. As far as I am concerned he's a pillar of fairness that is just looking out for the best interests of the league for which he represents. Sure, the NHL has only grown since the inclusion of a salary cap, but by my estimation that growth has - for lack of a better term - been capped. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and nothing provides more of a quick fix than putting lesser teams at larger odds. Why grow hockey in non-hockey cities, when you can turn the hockey cities into absolute juggernauts capable of carrying the leagues popularity by themselves? To be honest, I'm not even sure why the league ever strayed from the 'Original 6' formula. They created more mouthes to feed and made it impossible for teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs to really spoil themselves. No wonder why they haven't been successful since I have been alive, the NHL basically popped out a bunch of new kids and completely forgot about the needs of their first born. I think it's about time we get back to reminding Toronto how important they are to the landscape of hockey by making it easier for them to succeed, although I think it's safe to say Mike Commodore doesn't agree with me...
P.S. Sad, sad day when Lou Lamoriello can no longer keep his house in order. The ducks have officially left the row...
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