from Andrew Gross of The Record,
Twenty years ago, as the Rangers marched to the Stanley Cup, everyone, it seemed in New York, was suddenly a huge hockey fan. And it wasn’t just inside the city. The Rangers’ popularity drew in casual fans from all over.
Yet all that momentum to grow the league was wasted when a lockout erased the first half of the next season. The Rangers didn’t get to raise their Cup banner until Jan. 20, 1995.
That won’t be the case in 2014-15 as there is guaranteed labor peace in the NHL through 2020 after a third owner’s lockout.
The NHL has a chance to ride the marketing momentum the Rangers’ appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals affords.
"I think it’s great for everyone," Rangers center Brad Richards said. "Any time there’s a New York team in any sport I think it’s great. It’s an Original Six team. I’ve met a lot of people here that their grandfathers have taken them to games so I feel it’s important to a lot of people.
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