When we talk about the transformation that NHL hockey has undergone over the last few decades, we’ll often frame it in terms of what we’ve gained. Now that the sport has largely rid itself of the violence and bare-knuckle brawling that used to define it, the game has added skill and speed. Depending on who you ask, we’ve probably added fans. We’ve certainly added plenty of new teams, and new markets, and the bottom line looks a lot better now than it did back then.
And maybe, just maybe, hockey has added credibility, rehabbing its own reputation and how it’s viewed by the wider sports world.