Unwilling to share

To me, it's a classic case of protectionism vs. expansion. Do we keep a possession close to home? Or do we share it with others?

When it comes to the NHL playing games outside of North America, Hound Central 3.0 readers, by nearly 2-to-1 margin, made it very clear: NHL game in Europe are a bad thing.

Down here in Humidity Bay, the Lightning will open their 2008-09 campaign against the Rangers on Oct. 4 in Prague, the Czech Republic. Add exhibitions in Germany (Sept. 28) and Slovakia (Sept. 30) and it means that the Bolts camp in Tampa Bay will be considerably shorter than others.

Despite that, I believe it's a good idea for the NHL to play games overseas. Beyond the much-needed exposure, it's a way to say thank-you to fans who, until recently, could only watch their favorite sons on television.

Question: NHL games in Europe?

Bad: 9 out of 14 votes cast (64.3 percent)
Good: 5 out of 14 votes (35.7 percent)