NHL commissioner Gary Bettman trashed & fixed the professional game so that either his favorite big market teams or his Southern strategy upstarts win now. Not even small market Americsn NHL teams stand much of a chance of wiƱning the Stanley Cup anymore.
I'd much rather follow basketball now because at least peripheral teams including Toronto have a chance. Upsets actually hapoen.
Basketball stands head & shoulders above the NHL figuratively & literally.
No point in following the NHL anymore.
As far as hockey goes only World Hockey IHF games count for anything now.
Anything which is left untainted by Bettman's greasy fingers is still worth watching.
The profesional game of hockey is dead & will probably go the way of professional boxing