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Guest
"I'm really happy to be back in Calgary; I love Canada. I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds."
Cuthbert, you see, is dating Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf, while Hunter ended up with Jarrett Stoll of the Los Angeles Kings.
Avery instinctively understands that the NHL, which is trying to attract new viewers, needs to play up conflict and characters within it own ranks if it wants to draw attention. "Tthe NHL does a terrible job of marketing [by not promoting its] villains," he recently told ESPN. "Nobody cares about Jarome Iginla and guys like that, they're just not exciting enough."
Call it the reality television approach to sports — or, less flatteringly, the professional wrestling approach. Either way, alienating the female half of the potential audience with this "sloppy seconds" stunt doesn't seem like the smartest way to extend the strategy. But then ladies man Avery should know that already!
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