dude the NHL will always exist. Us Canadians will always goto the games. If yo udon't believe me how the hell are the Toronto Maple Leafs worth 1 Billion? They haven't made the playoffs since when and of how many of those years have they finished dead last? The fact that a Boston vs Vancouver was the highest revenue generating stanley cup final in history goes to show the Canadian fans will be there. However how many teams that will remain in the league is a whole other question all together.