NHL Doubles Down on Minnesota’s Flyover Label

Minnesota keeps selling itself as the State of Hockey, but this one reads like another reminder that the league’s power map does not always bend to local pride. The story leans into the old NHL reality that some markets can talk a big game and still struggle to force the rest of the league to treat them like a destination. There is a familiar front-office edge to that tension, because respect in this league is earned in the standings, not on the slogan board.