It used to be given more than cursory time on the network, but now it's reduced to some chatter once a week, usually Wednesday or Thursday.
The NHL, back in the day, had a significant presence on ESPN. Games were broadcast weekly, sometimes doubleheaders. Then the ratings went into the tank, and interest waned. Before the lockout of 2004-05.
So now, we're given barely a snapshot of the league, through the eyes of Barry Melrose, on ESPN News. Once a week.
And it was Melrose, last night, who engaged in his annual gushing over the Red Wings.
After showing some highlights of the team's 4-2 win over Phoenix, Melrose couldn't contain himself.
"The Detroit Red Wings -- where have we seen this before?," Melrose said, a grin spreading across his face. "Playing great hockey in February, March, and April, and into the playoffs."
Umm ... doing OK, Barry -- until the playoffs part.
The Red Wings haven't advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs since their last Stanley Cup, in 2002. They were swept in the first round in 2003 by Anaheim, drummed out in Round Two in 2004 by Calgary, and bounced in Round One last year by Edmonton. In other words, one series win in the last three postseasons.
And where HAVE we seen that before?
In the 1990's, before the Cups, when playoff disappointment ran rampant at Joe Louis Arena. Series losses to inferior opponents. Heartbreaking defeats, with captain Steve Yzerman always left to explain to the vultures what went wrong, in hushed tones in front of his locker.
The current Red Wings are in danger of recalling those days, if they don't make a serious run this spring. Barry Melrose is right -- we have seen this before: sizzling play in the regular season, but it was a precursor to a flameout in the playoffs, and always by hungrier, more desperate teams. And inferior ones, to boot.
I said before the season that it was fine by me if the Red Wings kind of lie in the weeds this season, piddling along in a strong Western Conference, perhaps with a #4 or #5 seed. None of this Presidents' Trophy, Cup or Else pressure. Maybe they could, for a change, ruin a higher seed's season.
Still OK by me, if they can pull it off.
But the team seems to be slipping back into its old ways -- churning out the wins, wearing teams down, climbing higher and higher in the league standings. Damn them.
But it's all good, if the Red Wings finally play like they're capable of in April and May -- if they can get to May. Their last two postseasons have ended in that month's first week. And the one before that ended in April.
Once again, the team looks, on paper, to be a serious contender. Goaltending seems strong. There's forward depth, and a little speed. The defensemen are old, but experienced and injected with some youth now. The coaching appears solid.
Yadda, yadda, yadda.
The Red Wings are indeed, as Melrose says, up to their old tricks in the dead of winter. But it's when things thaw out that they've had their problems.
I guess we'll see, won't we? And Barry Melrose can tell everyone all about it, weekly.
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