The young stars of the NHL are doing their best to lead the league back to prominence.
Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin has burst into the mainstream sports consciousness thanks to a season that saw him set the all-time record for goals in a season by a left winger. Ovechkin’s feats have attracted the attention of ESPN; Thursday’s Capitals/Lightning game was the lead story on SportsCenter.
Ovechkin’s heroics have been a hit locally. Ratings for Capitals games this season are up 75% from last year, and the aforementioned Captials/Lighting game Thursday was the highest rated Washington Capitals broadcast in eleven years.
With the Capitals on the verge of making the playoffs, the NHL is in prime position to see its two biggest stars — Ovechkin and East-leading Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby — develop the kind of crossover appeal that could rejuvenate interest in the league.
Already, Crosby has his own Gatorade ad — one that aired throughout the NCAA Tournament on CBS. An extended playoff run would only increase his exposure.
And a potential Capitals/Penguins playoff series has the potential to have an almost Winter Classic type effect on the NHL’s popularity.
Link to Washington Business Journal article found via Fang’s Bites.
