This Week In The NHL Bubble: Final Hurrah?

Part of the narrative, rightly or wrongly, in this Stanley Cup Final has been centered on low TV ratings. National audiences in both Canada and the United States have not been tuning in at their usual clip, surely to the dismay of the league and its broadcast partners.

Does this phenomenon have a clear-cut explanation? Perhaps, although it might be unsavory. Sure, the Final is typically disputed earlier in the summer, with less theoretical competition for eyeballs from other leagues. However, the NFL’s presence really only imposes itself on weekends, while the NBA and MLB coincide with the Cup Final anyway. The argument that fans are less likely to stay in and watch a game in warmer months doesn’t seem to add up either for a series usually played in the early summer. A pandemic where people are likelier to be indoors should help, not hurt TV numbers.

Tampa Bay and Dallas just aren’t big draws; that’s the long and the short of it. Non-traditional markets without an American or Canadian superstar don’t appear to add up to big audiences. U.S viewers love their Northeast/Chicago matchups, while Canadians love to see teams on their side of the border, but that shouldn’t be the only way to draw in fans. The NHL’s marketing of its players has gotten better over the years, but maybe if they’d be even more aggressive in selling the individuals of the game as opposed to the teams and rivalries, then a matchup between non-traditional teams in the glamor series wouldn’t crater ratings. Just a thought.

What About the Ducks?

I feel for Ducks fans right now. I really do. Anaheim hasn’t played a game since March, and significant news has been few and far between. Fear not though, as there are much better days ahead. The draft is a mere 10 days away, where the Ducks will have the opportunity to take another massive step forward in their rebuild. After that, free agency will open up, and who knows what Bob Murray has up his sleeve.

The current discourse around the Ducks seems to be centered around who they will select with the sixth overall pick. Jamie Drysdale’s name keeps getting linked to Anaheim, as has Alexander Holtz’s. Although either player gives the Ducks another excellent prospect to add to their cupboard, neither truly feels like a potential game-breaker. Some will argue that Holtz can get there with his fearsome shot and that Drysdale’s magical feet can allow him to become a top-pairing defenseman. Neither of those outcomes feels overwhelmingly likely, at least not in this writer’s estimation.

Usually, I advocate for taking the biggest swing as possible with your first-round pick. Marco Rossi is pro-ready and could be in an NHL lineup as soon as next season. That readiness is appealing, but I also don’t think that should have him pegged as a “safe” pick. His production in the OHL has been mind-boggling, and players who perform like him at that level tend to become stars. Rossi isn’t just a safe pick, he’s also a swing for the fences. If he’s available at six, I just don’t see why Anaheim would look anywhere else. Do the right thing.