So please allow me to be honest, because this is the truth. If I lived in Los Angeles, I'm not sure how much live hockey I'd go and watch. Not because the NHL is in terminal decline (I don't believe it is), but simply because in some places, and at some times, it just doesn't seem worth it.
With just 30 wins this season, the LA Kings have been playing meaningless hockey since before the onset of winter. This in itself is not necessarily a problem; the Toronto Maple Leafs have been playing meaningless hockey for about 41 years and people still care about them. Of course, Kings fans care about their team too, and it would be wrong to suggest that they don't. A total of 16,784 people travelled to the Staples Center on Tuesday night to watch a late-season game which for the home side held no promise at all.
The NHL experience that ended up putting me to sleep | Sport | Guardian Unlimited
The NHL experience that ended up putting me to sleep (Guardian) 
