The NHL’s Hidden Problem: Why Star Players Aren’t Marketed Like the NBA” Explore the league’s failure to build personalities

 

Why the NHL Still Doesn’t Let Its Stars Shine Like the NBA and NFL

While LeBron James produces blockbuster films and Michael Jordan’s legacy lives on through billion-dollar sneaker deals and pop-culture dominance, the NHL continues to treat its stars like they’re part of a faceless machine. In a league where it’s still frowned upon to celebrate a big goal or flash a bit of ego, the question is clear:

Why does the NHL continue to bury its biggest personalities?

The NBA and NFL Understand Spectacle

When you think of LeBron James, you don’t just think of basketball — you think of Space Jam 2, Beats commercials, and global philanthropy. Michael Jordan didn’t just redefine the game, he became a brand. And today, Patrick Mahomes has multiple endorsement deals, an animated character in commercials, and is treated like a household name whether you watch football or not.

These leagues understand something fundamental:

Star power isn’t a distraction. It’s the product.

 

NBA and NFL franchises embrace player branding. It’s encouraged. Athletes are allowed — even expected — to show emotion, dance after touchdowns, flex after dunks, or drop a signature celebration after a clutch shot.

 In the NHL, Personality Is Still a Penalty

In contrast, the NHL has long promoted a culture of humility, conformity, and "team first" at all costs. Goal celebrations that are too exuberant are labeled “cocky.” Trash talk is taboo. And players like P.K. Subban — who brought energy, style, and entertainment to the game — often found themselves more criticized than celebrated by fans, media, and even teammates.

It’s not that NHL players lack personality. Guys like Alexander Ovechkin, Trevor Zegras, David Pastrnak, and even Brad Marchand have charisma. But they’re operating in a system that doesn’t want stars to stand out.

 What’s Being Lost

This unwillingness to embrace individuality isn’t just an image issue — it’s a business failure. Hockey has some of the most skilled, dedicated athletes in the world, but few of them are household names outside their home markets. The NHL’s social media presence lags far behind the NFL and NBA. Jersey sales are fine, but they’re not iconic. Players don’t become brands — and that’s costing the league millions in global attention.

Imagine if Connor McDavid had a signature shoe. Or if the NHL pushed Zegras into his own cartoon series for kids. Or if Matthews starred in a Netflix docu-series about the Leafs’ playoff drought. That kind of media lifts players into cultural icons — and creates lifelong fans in the process.

 The NHL Needs to Evolve — Fast

For the NHL to grow beyond its loyal but niche fanbase, it needs to do more than just tinker with rules and expand into new markets. It needs to let its players breathe. Let them sell themselves. Let them be seen.

Other leagues have proven that player-driven storytelling builds empires. The NHL doesn’t need to copy the NBA or NFL — but it needs to stop running in the opposite direction.

The stars are already on the ice.
Now let them shine.