The New York Post's Larry Brooks' customary Slap Shots column involves his belief that the NHL should reduce its season to 70 games, because he believes that an 82-game season yields 12 games of too much of everything for each and every one of the NHL's teams, especially in October and November, when hockey's competing against the World Series, college football, the NFL and the hype surrounding the beginning of the NBA season...

But I think the most interesting part of his article addresses the league's estimated revenuesr the 48-game seaon seem to suggest that the damage the owners' lockout did to the NHL's "brand" appeal was much less than experts or fans anticipated--understanding of the fact that October and November can be "slow" months for the NHL included:

Slap Shots has learned the NHL recently informed the NHLPA the projected hockey-related revenue (HRR) for this truncated season will reach $2.4 billion, a staggering number with implications far beyond the obvious that the league essentially suffered no damage by locking out the players for more than three months.

Remember: HRR for 2011-12 hit a record $3.3 billion. That was for a 1,230-game regular-season, plus playoffs, preseason and special events — including the Winter Classic and All-Star festivities.

This $2.4 billion projection is for a 720-game regular season plus the playoffs. Thus, the NHL expects to generate 72.7 percent of last year’s revenue in 58.5 percent of the season — and without the benefits reaped from the money-printing outdoor game..