Quality of hockey, business booming as NHL begins new season


              Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, skates at an NHL hockey training camp, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
            
              Calgary Flames' Nicolas Meloche (53) chases Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) during the second period of an NHL hockey preseason game Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) does drills during an NHL hockey practice, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, in Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
            
              FILE - The Colorado Avalanche celebrate winning the Stanley Cup against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. Thanks to an unprecedented level of skill and speed on the ice, business is booming going into what's expected to be the league's first full season on a normal schedule since before the pandemic. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack, Fiule)
            
              FILE  -Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen, center bottom, lifts defenseman Cale Makar, center top, during a rally outside the City/County Building for the NHL hockey champions after a parade through the streets of downtown Denver, Thursday, June 30, 2022. Looking on are center Nazem Kadri, left, and right wing Logan O'Connor. All the Stanley Cup parties and parades are over for the Colorado Avalanche. The shorter-than-most summer has run its fun-loving, Cup-hoisting course and training camp has arrived. It's time to get back to the task of defending the title. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
            
              FILE - Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon lifts the Stanley Cup after the team defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. The Colorado Avalanche are making Nathan MacKinnon the highest-paid player in the NHL’s salary cap era. MacKinnon, who just turned 27 earlier this month, signed an eight-year contract that is worth $100.8 million, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, because the team did not announce terms of the contract. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Quality of hockey, business booming as NHL begins new season