Biggest failure the NHL ever did was to sign their network deal with Versus. They made hockey inaccesible to many people when they did that. Versus is an add-on packaged channel for many people that you need to pay extra to get, and many people don’t bother paying to recieve it.
Also, hockey is a sport that to the majority of this country, is foreign. It sn’t a sport they do at backyard BBQ’s or hanging out with buddies around the yard. LIke football or baseball is. It’s actually very comparable to how the rest of the world views soccer. Most of america doesn’t get soccer, while the rest of the world eat, sleeps, and drinks soccer.
America is football and baseball, and Basketball, and I suppose Nascar. Is there really room for any more sports leagues to fit in there?
Edit - And my opinion personally is watching that hockey is not even worth comparing to watching basketball, baseball, and even football.