NHL FINALLY GOING MAINSTREAM (AT LEAST IN MANITOBA): Wednesday was opening night for the NHL (that game in Turkmenistan doesn’t count), and we have good news and bad news to report on the league.

First, the bad news: The Red Wings failed to sell out their home opener (snapping a streak of 300-something straight sellouts), while the Avalanche also played to a partially empty house (Avs are the same team which had sold out almost 500 home games consecutively until last season).

OK, that’s the bad news, now some good news to brighten up your day. The league is once again eyeing expansion and according to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman the leading candidate is … Winnipeg.

From the TORONTO SUN today: “Of most interest to hockey fans in Canada is that Bettman again singled out Winnipeg as the city in which he has had the most discussions about potential expansion.

“He noted that the NHL has received interest from several cities in North America that would like to have a team and the league may look closer at those potential sites.”

Finally! After all these years, the NHL is going mainstream! (at least in Manitoba, that is)