Rangers-Penguins: NHL Agenda?

If you read Eric Kuzmiak's article about saying that I don't have any humor, you may find this article to be humorous. You may even think I'm crazy or hell, you may think I hit the nail on the head. What I'm going to put forward is reasoning for a possible NHL agenda in this Eastern Conference Semi Finals series between the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, that so many fans (myself included) have claimed is taking place. I'm not going to say that the league has been against the Rangers or for the Penguins in this series, rather something completely different. I'm suggesting that the league is trying to doctor up this series so that the home team wins every game. Call me crazy, but just think about the following reasons:

1. The Marketability of this Series.

We all know the NHL is in desperate need of money and it seems that's all they care about. Of all the playoff series be played right now, this Rangers-Penguins series is by far the most marketable. If the home team were to win every game, the series would be guaranteed to last as long as possible, thus having the league make more money and also keeping interest up amongst the casual hockey fans out there. Sidney Crosby combined with a New York team will sell.

2. Once Again, the Profit.

If a series were to end before game seven, people that have paid for tickets do not get to go to games where they will spend even more money, and the league would have to wait atleast another season to rake in that profit. But, if a seven game series is played, the packed Mellon Arena and Madison Square Garden will be spending thousands and thousands of dollars on the tickets, concessions, souvenirs, and most importantly, beer (which people seem to spend more on then the actual cost of their seats.)

3. T.V Ratings.

Who wants to watch the Montreal-Philadelphia series? Even more exciting, how about the Dallas-San Jose series? Exactly. Not that many people. But, if the Rangers-Penguins series were to be short, those are some of the games we'll have the choice of watching. If we zoom ahead for just a little bit, think about a San Jose-Montreal Stanley Cup Finals and how disasterous that would be for NHL TV ratings in the United States. But, then think about a New York-Detroit, or a Pittsburgh-Detroit Finals and how these are the best possible money makers for the NHL and how the TV ratings will be the highest for a Hockey game since the Winter Classic. The league NEEDS the Rangers or Penguins to go as far as possible but since only one of them can move on past this round, why not drag the series out? If you have Sidney Crosby and the best marketed team in the NHL going up against the team from the biggest sports market in the world for seven games, it will be a guarenteed money maker. Be it that it may, only a second round game, people will watch!

Of course this is all a theory, and we'll find out Tuesday night if this holds any water...