Why is the NHL so unpopular/irrelevant?

I completely agree with the shootout.  It has destroyed the regular season and another rule change that's killing the sport.  This has a big effect on the playoffs come mid-season.  A lot of teams play for a tie if they're in good standing.  

It should be zero points awarded if you lose in OT and 1 point for both teams if it's a draw.  A lot of people love the shoot-out but I think it's a horrible way to determine the outcome of a game.  

Someone said it earlier.  PHUCK GARY BETTMAN

NJ Devils fans gave him a rice reception when they retired #30 earlier this season.  

2- It's a mickey mouse league. It is constantly tinkering with the rules, which makes them look unsure.

hockey.. if you grew up playing it you love it. the stereotype is true though most african americans never played the sport. it's kinda like college football fans vs nfl fans.. if you went to college and went to your colleges games you feel part of the program.. they are "your team". same as hockey for me.. grew up all my life rooting for the same team. so up here "we" nhl fans claim that its our team. hockey is the most expensive game to play. first you need ice. not easy in lower us. in canadian winters we played hockey all day all night as kids on ponds and backyards untill we couldn't see the puck anymore or we lost all the pucks in the snow. building back yard rinks and watching saturday night hockey on cbc every weekend is what life was all about for me as a kid/teenager. hockey in my opinion is dying though. bettman is a person. the problem is trying to make it a young kids game and he is trying to make it more exciting with the shootout. it's the stupidest thing ever. it was in the olympics first then over to the nhl. the most exciting time in sports is playoff overtime hockey. games can last forever. there have been games go 4 overtime periods. for my opinions on americans liking hockey.. minnesota is insane. detroit claims to be hockeytown usa.. no chance minnesota is rediclious for hockey. also there is strategy in hockey. google the trap. its boring as hell but won nj a cup. also teams do set plays kinda like the nba.. white board style. there is alot of situational strategy. penalty kill, power plays, 4-4. also nhl allows you to beat the garbage outta someone you are mad at. ever see the big huge dugout clearings in baseball. nothing ever happens. bunch of cry babies if you ask me. or nba with a slap or 2. i know im all over the place with this rant..lol.. Also nhl tried the "glow puck" for fox tv to try and get people into hockey because the biggest complaint at the time was the puck is hard to follow. alot of the time you just know where it is going to be passed or shot. it comes from knowing basic strategy and the flow of the game. i love hockey but  its dying out. no big names right now. golden boy sidney crosby is always hurt. ok im done. thanks for reading.  

We pretty much agree on everything here.  

Well said.

I was unaware of this.  Thanks for sharing these statistics

Most notably that not everyone has played. It's not something we're familiar with. Additionally the game is just so international. Half the names are too difficult to pronounce. There are less and less North American players these days. Two decades ago we had the Great One, Messier, Lindross, Lemiuex, etc., 

Nowadays you got a bunch of Swedes, Finns, Czechs, Russians, you just can't seem to follow. Expansion diluted talent. 

However, with winning comes the fans. I've been to 6 games this year.

Currently in Dallas, and will be going to game 1 tomorrow night vs the Wild. Just cuz.

So, it's not a dead game and doesn't need to or surpass the other major sports.

listen to analysts they just ramble on and on about plays .but the fact is the puck jumps all over the place and it dictates what the outcome is most of the time.

Spoken like someone who has never padded up and played a shift in his life.  

This type of ignorance of the sport just solidifies the points I was making 6 months ago. 

There is a little truth to this, but lacking strategy?  Come on.  Don't be so naive because you never played.  It's too rough, fast and expensive for most.  

For those who have never played you will just never understand the rush of being on the ice in a high intensity game.  It is so much fun and such a great workout. It is a hard sport to pickup if you don't start when you are really young.  Nobody wants to start playing hockey when they are 12, can barely skate and look foolish in front of all their other hockey friends.  

As others have mentioned it is very very expensive as well and really only affordable to middle upper class and upper class household incomes.  My son is 5 and in his first year of hockey.  His registration was $600 for 1 practice and 1 game a week and I probably spent another $400 on his equipment which is cheap because he is so young and doesn't need high quality equipment.  If your kid is good and wants to play on competitive travel teams  spending $5,000-10,000 a year depending on age is the norm.  I have another son who is 3 who I'm just teaching how to skate who will also be playing in 2 years.  I'm also on the ice twice a week myself playing 1 night in a men's league and 1 night in a shinny game.  I probably spend $1,000-1,500 a year on myself playing.  

Hard to even see many goals, just  the light going off

Then why aren't the stats more evenly balanced?  I guess we can chalk it up to more ice time?  Or is it that players consistently are in the right place at the right time.  

Dytide