Vancouver Canucks Appearing in the Stanley Cup Finals Is Good for the NHL

There have been some rumblings that having the Vancouver Canucks, a Pacific time zone, Canadian team, in the Stanley Cup finals would be a bad thing.

That the Canucks competing for, and maybe even winning, the Stanley Cup would squander the momentum of the last few finals that featured the Blackhawks, Red Wings, Flyers and Penguins. 

The hypothesis is that this would hurt NBC's ratings to have late starting games featuring a Canadian team that isn't even one of the Original Six.

I would counter by saying it would be a great thing for the NHL if the Canucks make the finals.

First, who cares about NBC's ratings? The NHL and NBC have already signed a ten-year deal. Regardless of who plays in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, that deal is done.

Second, I think the original hypothesis is incorrect, or at least doesn't take into account a glaring omission.

Hockey fans, at least those who don't have a team in the finals, tune into the Stanley Cup finals to see good hockey.

Yes, you'll get more New York fans watching if the Rangers are in the finals than you would if Tampa Bay was in.

But, that is a regional boost, not national, no matter how big that region is. 

The rest of us? We tune in to watch good hockey, as the best two remaining teams duke it out before we head into the offseason.

I didn't watch the Blackhawks play the Flyers last year because Chicago was an Original Six team.

I didn't watch Detroit and Pittsburgh battle in back-to-back finals because of demographics.

I watched because Toews, Pronger, Malkin, Crosby, Datsyuk, Lidstrom and company put on a show.

I watched because it was entertaining hockey.

Entertaining hockey is free-flowing and has big hits, big goals and highlight reel saves. It has drama, engaging story lines, heroes and villains.

The Canucks bring all that in spades.

You want offense? How about the highest scoring team in the NHL during the regular season, which boasts the last two Art Ross winners in the Sedin twins. Oh, and Henrik Sedin happens to lead the NHL in playoff scoring too.

You want big hits? How Keith Ballard leveling Jamie McGinn with this hipcheck?

You want highlight saves? Roberto Luongo can provide those.

Heroes? Yeah, the Canucks have a couple of those, led by Conn Smythe candidate Ryan Kesler. (If you want an angle for NBC, Kesler has to be the leading candidate to captain the 2014 US Olympic team.)

Villains? Its a matter of perspective, but the Canucks have those too. Just ask Chicago fans how they feel about Raffi Torres demolishing Brent Seabrook.

Drama? How about a Game 7 overtime win against hated rivals?

Engaging story lines? How about the redemption of Roberto Luongo? Or the Canucks playing for injured teammate Manny Malhotra? Or Alex Burrows moving from playing in slapshot leagues and ball hockey tournaments to being in the Stanley Cup finals? 

What would hurt the NHL's growing popularity is a return to the boring, neutral zone trap hockey that dominated the dead puck era. Try selling that to prospective fans who tune in to check out the Stanley Cup finals.

What about the Canucks making the Stanley Cup finals by playing entertaining hockey that might actually entice new fans to return and watch another game? That's a good thing for the NHL, regardless of geography.