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With the original six teams on the hockey map, the interest in the game grew.Games in the early thirties through to the fifties were played once a week;travel was by train only and playoffs games were over by early May, with a return in early October.

Then in the 1967-1968 season the league grew to twelve with the addition of six more teams.All the teams were in American cities, and the popularity of the sport grew.Teams soon found themselves vying for the Stanley Cup and rivalries soon blossomed, although with the addition of another six teams travel was somewhat in close proximity of your next opponent, the game's fans were there to cheer their players to victory.

Businessmen with money to burn were the awe of the average person;here was Mr.So and So who owned an NHL franshise, where a ticket was easy to obtain and the play was fast and furious.Soon others with money in their pockets were asking how they could get a hockey team in their town or city.Now the National Hockey League was growing like that seventeen-year old son, who the last time was up to his dad's waist, now is passed his shoulders.

The game of hockey at one point in time was played in cities no one would ever dream of in the early forties and fifties.Although they were not NHL style franchise, they were still classified as hockey and they were enjoyed by all, until that is until the money ran out and the interest was lost.

Hockey is not a dying sport.Every sport, whether it's the NHL, MLB or the NBA is having a tough time trying win fans.Many fans want a winner and they want it now.So does the owner of the team, who has either struggled from the very beginning, or has for a certain length of time enjoyed winning championships only to find players have moved on to other teams or since retired.Eventually it comes to a drastic end.

Mistakes are made along the way, and the NHL is no different then any other money making operation.Thoughts of having hockey teams in some unlikely places have backfired on the league.Trying to sell a winter time sport in the sunbelt of the United States went under, and even though two teams have won Stanley Cups (Carolina and Tampa Bay), many would rather have the teams move on.Some would argue these teams did not deserve to win the cup.

Teams who had enjoyed a loyal fan base have weathered the ups and downs, and for having the faith and belief in their team has paid off.Several teams whom were left for dead realised it was time to spend, but spend wisely.

This year's addition to the Stanley Cup playoffs have three teams; two are original six teams, who many left for dead.Hockey here was a dying sport, but thanks to winning again has given their fans a reason to love the game again.

For the causal American sports fan maybe hockey is just too fast, a small black disc moving back and forth, up and down a large white sheet of ice with players changing every thirty seconds.No matter what league tries to do to get more Americans to love the game, the more they will resist.

Hockey will be a dying sport in the USA only if you want it to.

Learn more about this author, Kelly Monteith.
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