There had been talk that the Lightning-Rangers games in Prague – as well as the Pittsburgh-Ottawa games in Stockholm – might be some sort of precursor to NHL international expansion plans. Especially after Los Angeles and Anaheim did it last year – and since more such regular-season games in Europe are in the offing.
Not.
Sources say the NHL, which will target Germany for its next games, only wants to increase league exposure – in order to boost product sales and viewership on cable and the internet.
The problem with European franchises is several-fold. Major European capitals such as Paris and London could care less about hockey, and cities that do have a passion for it, such as Prague, have limited financial resources. Unwieldy logistics and taxing travel schedules are a significant issue.
And while Russia loves hockey – and some of its cities have expressed an interest in hosting NHL games – working out player-contract details would be problematic. At best. It’s still Russia.