John Shannon

John Shannon is an analyst on Hockeycentral.

Please note, this is not about hockey in Canada. But that is not to say that we can't learn any lessons from our friends down south...

Well, hockey season has finally started!

You read it right. For most NHL cities, particularly those south of the border, fans will start to gravitate towards the local arena and pay much more attention to the local team. There are lots of reasons for the season starting now. Firstly, for the most part, college and high school football are over. Secondly, the NFL season is winding down, and most of the playoff races are close to being settled. Thirdly, winter just started on December 21st, and hockey is a winter sport. Fourthly, NBC's coverage in the US, will help raise the game's profile. And finally, there is quite simply some pretty good hockey being played.

And that is good news for the teams where the fans have been disguised as empty seats since October, will also start to notice higher attendance. You do know that fifteen years ago, many hockey fans began to increase their interest in the game after the All-Star break. But that might have changed, because of all the attention that the Winter Classic gets from non-traditional media outlets. Team managements in places like Florida, Phoenix, Atlanta, Dallas, even Columbus should be thrilled with the attention that the Bruins and Flyers will get from Fenway, because it will send the message of the NHL game into houses in their markets that haven't really embraced the game. Or at least it should. This is where there is a difference of opinion.

You see, hockey in the US is very regional. Over the years, there has been very little desire to help other teams grow the game, because they are viewed as competitors on every level. The partnership that is the member clubs of the NHL rarely appears during the regular season, or the playoffs for that matter, beyond CBA issues or Board of Governors meetings. There are still those that believe that rivals on the ice can't be partners off the ice, and this is hurting the growth of the game.

Teams in struggling markets should welcome and promote events like the Winter Classic, because it tells their fan base how much they care about the game as a whole. And it tells new fans, that this is the great game that can be watched beyond the game at Fenway, at Nationwide Arena, or the St. Pete Times Forum or the American Airline Centre. And the only way the Winter Classic will be embedded into the hearts and minds of all fans is if all the teams believe in it, beyond wondering if they can be involved in next year's event.

There is no question that the NHL has its successes in pockets of America. Minnesota, St. Louis, Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and others can take pride in their places in their markets. However, these teams and all the US-based teams have to work together better to give hockey a higher National profile.

And once the Winter Classic is over, they have to find a way to work together again for the playoffs, even if they aren't playing any of those games either!