More and more newspapers are feeling the bite of cutbacks. And in many sports departments, the wrath of those cuts are being felt in the hockey coverage. In New York, Devils and Islanders coverage is basically non-existent. And it is a hard battle to fight. Sometimes, it seems as if hockey enthusiasts are their own worst enemy. They want to sing the praises of the game to the moon — and we love it — but don’t want to welcome casual fans into their little world. Go to a New York Rangers game and the crowd’s energy can make you feel as you are at a rock concert. Walk outside Madison Square Garden and it evaporates. Immediately. The NHL has been passed in popularity by many sports, collegef ootball and basketball, NASCAR, MMA to name a few. Don’t even think about pointing to the lockout. While that hurt, the damage was long in the process of being done.

People associate NASCAR drivers with their cars and numbers. How many sports fans could tell you the number on the back of any NHL superstar? The hockey media is so busy putting forth ticky-tack information that only the elite hardcore care about that it alienates pretty much everyone else.

Is there any hope? Can’t imagine Ovechkin and Crosby inspiring sports editors to send beat writers to every game for every team. Islander and Devils coverage in New York is a lost cause. Coverage in California is waning Hockey is skating shorthanded and there doesn’t seem to be an end to that situation in site.