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Bringing Hexy Back • 42 Years Old • Male
Already Sidney Crosby's unfortunate slide into the boards at the Igloo has been treated by most hockey media outlets as The Titanic, Hindenburg and Kennedy assassination all rolled into one. The NHL Networkwent out of it's way to let us know that Crosby's injury is a league wide issue and not just a Penguins issue.

Will Crosby be missed at the All Star game? Sure. But if the NHL was smart, it would minimize the Crosby absence and use the time to put the spotlight on some other very talented players that don't often get deserved attention outside their home markets.

The Crosby injury could be a blessing in disguise to the NHL, who have relentlessly shoved Crosby down the throats of hockey fans. Instead of building the NHL's awareness campaign on one superstar, do a little more to add other faces to the galaxy: Alexander Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jason Spezza, Rick DiPietro, Mike Richards, Dion Phaneuf, Duncan Keith, Marian Gaborik, Ryan Getzlaff, Rick Nash and Paul Stastny.

How many of those vital young faces have appeared in a RBK Edge commercial? Or a "Is This The Year" commercial? The answer is, just Ovechkin.

NHL, please use the opportunity given by the Crosby injury to expose fans to other stars around the NHL.
Filed Under:   Jsaq   Crosby   All Star   Mike Richards  
January 19, 2008 10:07 AM ET | Delete
Well said. It's too bad he got hurt, but hopefully it's just an ankle sprain and nothing more. He'll live, the NHL will live, the all-star game will live (maybe). There are so many great young players out there, the league is far from the 'Sidney Crosby Show.'
January 19, 2008 10:34 AM ET | Delete
Funny, the two admittedly ignorant media outlets that I've seen covering the injury have gone out of their way to point out Ranger's stickwork, insinuating some sort of blame to the defenseman here. Come on.
January 19, 2008 11:08 AM ET | Delete
Jsaq that was my immediate first thought was now who is the NHL's face for the allstar game. I hope it is AO he deserves some press. I would love to see Mike Richards.
January 19, 2008 11:40 AM ET | Delete
If there's a point in there, I'm missing it.
January 19, 2008 11:46 AM ET | Delete
goldenj... real mature because he is american he must be clueless about the game right? You do realize that the majority of fans will disagree with your statement on Richards and in case you did not realize 24 out of the 30 teams in the league reside in the U.S. I seem to remeber not that long ago, the face of the game was a liitle know goalie name Domink Hasek and last time I checked he was Czech
January 19, 2008 12:33 PM ET | Delete
gforce, whenever a star player gets hurt, they HAVE to find blame.
January 19, 2008 12:34 PM ET | Delete
Hey I love Dion and wouldn't mind him. I like Duncan Keith too. Or maybe a great well rounded exposure of everyone vs just one player focus.I know no european guy has been the face of the NHL. I would love to see that change. The league wants world wide exposure then they need to show they are not afraid to have someone other then a Canadian be the face of the league.
January 19, 2008 12:38 PM ET | Delete
push Rick Nash! heres your chance..
January 19, 2008 12:41 PM ET | Delete
Please don't feed the trolls.
January 19, 2008 12:43 PM ET | Delete
CP, Nash is another great name to push. My whole point is, instead of crying about Crosby, start pimping the other stars of the game. Hell, help the diversity of the league out and start putting Jarome Iginla's face in those NHL commercials. Show Nash and Ovechkin more often. Every one of those players can be as exciting as Crosby.
January 19, 2008 2:27 PM ET | Delete
Good idea.There are so many great NHL players with fabulous personalities that should have some time in the spotlight.Every team in the league deals with many injuries, the Pens will find out what they are made of now.
January 19, 2008 3:16 PM ET | Delete
That's it exactly Buts. I am not knocking Crosby, simply saying that instead of the NHL putting it's collective head in the oven, let's use his injury to showcase some of the other talented players out there. It's going to be a tough injury for the Pens. Can't say that I feel bad for them, but it's definitely gut check time for them.
January 19, 2008 11:00 PM ET | Delete
I don't think anyone would dispute that Crosby is a great talent, but he is NOT the NHL. This blog optimizes what a lot of people are thinking, I for one am tired of having Crosby shoved down my throat, and it sucks that the other young talent in the league don't get a quarter of the attention. I don't see how Crosby missing the All Stars is going to have an effect league wide. I am watching it to watch Getzlaf and Kopitar (even though he's a King).
January 19, 2008 11:17 PM ET | Delete
I'm watching it for the shot accuracy contest, which is rivaled only by the home run derby and slam dunk competition in terms of sheer excitement.
January 19, 2008 11:25 PM ET | Delete
I'm gonna get drunk and make up trade rumors, actually.
January 20, 2008 1:37 AM ET | Delete
Great read! The way people make this out to be, I'm surprised the NHL hasn't crashed to the ground in the first night without Crosby. It's an injury. It happens to the best of them, particularly greats like Orr and Mario.It's time for the NHL to realize that most fans actually resent Crosby because of their relentless efforts to market the guy. There are plenty of other young, dynamic, exciting players in the league, Ovechkin and Kovalchuk especially.
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