The golden era of the NHL was certainly the 1990′s. Wayne Gretzky was playing in the second biggest hockey market in the States and bright young stars like Brett Hull, Mike Modano, and Mike Richter were taking over the league. One area where the NHL’s popularity increased significantly was in Pennsylvania. Mario Lemieux was leading the freshly crowned Stanley Cup Champion Penguins in Pittsburgh while Eric Lindros was developing into a super-star across the turnpike.
With the Penguins winning a third Cup in 2009, and the Flyers reaching the Finals in 2010, the increase of young hockey players is only expected to rise. A possible NBA and NFL lockout could also contribute to those numbers. It is a good time to be a hockey fan.