I think the NHL, both the owners and the players, are going to be rudely awakened by the lack of interest in hockey once this comes back.

Hockey tickets are expensive. There are diehard hockey fans that certainly will go, but I think as a result of this we may see some folding of teams. We saw that before when Atlanta moved to Winnipeg, we saw it when Phoenix had some difficulties. I think you're going to see a contraction of the league as a result of this labor dispute. I don't think people are going to support this sport as much as before and I think fans are resenting the fact that they are not being considered at the table. The owners are concerned about their pocketbook, the players are concerned about their paycheck, but the fans are the ones that really put the money on the table for both sides, and I think the result is going to be a lack of support, and in cities that are teetering this may end up with a number of teams failing. … I think the fans are going to find other things to do with their time and money.'

-Jay Krupin who serves as the national labor and employment practice team leader for industry sectors at BakerHostetler in Washington. More from Ansar Khan of Mlive.