... broadly, the NHL aims for boring more than it needs to. The Stanley Cup final had all the ingredients to be a modern classic, and instead Tampa and Chicago’s biggest stars were largely silent, and the games were both relentlessly close and somehow forgettable. The NBA finals featured LeBron against a likeable and deeply entertaining team led by the most joyful player since Magic Johnson. Entertainment-wise, it was a blowout.

It shouldn’t have to be this way, not quite. You don’t need a Steven Stamkos hostage situation, but would it hurt? Personality gets crushed in hockey so much more than it does in basketball, to the point where Roberto Luongo started his now-famous Twitter account as a secret one, so that nobody would know that he’s hilarious. Defence wins championships, but offence is more fun. Hockey and basketball are different, and that’s unavoidable, that’s fine.

It wouldn’t hurt hockey to steal a few things, though. Even if it never will.

-Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star where you can read more on why he feels this way.