Year of the Lockout Feeds the American Hockey League

Monday night marks the annual American Hockey League All Star Game, an event that would normally escape the notice of most hockey fans. But these are not normal times. The game likely represents the best showcase of hockey talent in North America this season.

With the NHL trying to kill itself, the AHL takes over as the top league on the continent, and its talent level has never been higher. Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Patrice Bergeron are just a few of the NHL scorers plying their trade in towns like Binghamton, Providence and Lowell. Of the AHL's top 25 scorers at the All Star break, over half played at least 30 NHL games last season.

Then there are defensemen like Jay Bouwmeester of the San Antonio Rampage and Joni Pitkanen of the Philadelphia Phantoms. In a sane hockey world, Pitkanen would be a Flyer and Bouwmeester a Panther. Instead, they are in Manchester, New Hampshire with the other minor-league All Stars.

Driven by the injection of under-25 stars and a dearth of NHL hockey, the AHL is also experiencing an upsurge in attendance. The the fact that you can see a game for about 20 bucks doesn't hurt either.

Sure, the American League has its share of dull players and tedious nights. That 's the way it goes when you play an 82-game schedule. But its current success is yet another reminder that hockey can thrive in plenty of towns, and it can do so without the big-league pretensions. Thousands of fans are finding that small-time pro hockey works for them. Who says the NHL lockout is bad for the game?