Bloody hell.
I confess, my knickers are in a bit of a twist trying to figure out why, exactly, the NHL is christening its 90th season with two games in England this weekend.
Of course, it's no mere coincidence that Kings' owner Phil Anschutz mans the stern of the 02 Arena, where the Kings and Ducks will have Brits scratching their heads over the next two days. There hasn't been this much confusion in Britain since the locals tried to decipher who was the hottest Spice Girl.
Anyway, before the NHL even pops open the hood in Europe, I would think there are more than enough issues to deal with on this side of the pond.
Little things like U.S. television contracts and selling the sport at home. But set common sense aside for a moment.
A rumor that just won't go away is that one day, perhaps even soon, the NHL would like to tap into the European market full-time.
Word is next year the NHL will send a team overseas to take on a European champion for something called the Victoria Cup. An intriguing concept, no doubt.
But trying to catch the fancy of England? Crikey.
It might make a little more sense to move into a part of the continent where hockey is actually king. Say, I don't know, Sweden, Finland, Russia or the Czech Republic.
Britain is footy country, blokes.
The UEFA Champions League, boasting some of Europe's premier soccer teams, is already underway and currently has the attention of the UK. Same goes for the domestic leagues, which are in full swing.
Timing is everything, is it not? Inside the hallowed pubs of England this weekend, think you will see Chris Pronger on the telly?
European expansion may be on the horizon, and the NHL may one day want to get in bed with London. For whatever reason, the NHL sees fit to start batting eyelashes with the Union Jack right now.
They might be better off to deal with some issues in their own backyard first.