The National Hockey League has garnered its highest attendance figures in the league’s history.

“houston, we have a problem” — “the worldwide leader in sports” pretty much keeps it off their airwaves. NHL arenas averaged 17,075 fans per game in January of 2007, representing a 92 percent capacity rate. If you walk into any Major League Baseball stadium and look if the stadium is filled at a 92 percent rate. Other than a few stadiums, you’ll be greatly disappointed.

Yet, ESPN has turned a blind eye on those figures.

The problem is that ESPN terminated its television contract with the NHL following the season-long lockout of 2004-05. Without a major television contract, the NHL was forced to sign a deal with Versus (formerly the Outdoor Life Network) when the league returned in 2005-06.

Versus dosen’t reach many household and those that it does only get a few hometown games.

To make matters worse, instead of picking up NHL coverage, ESPN has filled their airwaves with potato chip-eating, soda-drinking poker players. I’m sorry, but since when did poker players become athletes?

I’m by no means arguing that poker doesn’t take skill. Players in the World Series of Poker would clean out my wallet in a matter of minutes, but poker just isn’t a sport. Nor is the Spelling Bee.
Do you think the Moneymaker guy of Poker has spent many days in the gym? Look at the guy and try to justify him being an athlete.

Although, if he could lace up a pair of ice skates, skate on blades that are approximately one-eighth of an inch thick, and shoot a frozen rubber disk at a speed upwards of 80 miles per hour, then that’d be worthy of ESPN coverage. Not simply because he’s a good bluffer or can play the odds well.

It’s beyond me how ESPN justifies televising the Pro Bowling Association, the World Series of Poker and trick shot pool tournaments, yet decides to leave out the NHL, especially considering the talent level the league is showcasing.

The NHL is boasting some of its brightest, most media-friendly players in years with the likes of Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. “Sid the Kid” is a leading player as a 19-year-old while the 21-year-old Ovechkin is second in the league in goals in 2007, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. These guys steal the show wherever they go.

The suggestion here isn’t that ESPN should flood Sportscenter with NHL coverage, as they have with their recently-acquired NASCAR rights (anyone else notice how NASCAR has taken over Sportscenter recently). They should, however, give respect where respect is due and stop ignoring the fact that hockey is in the strongest state it has ever been.

The proof is in the numbers.