Last month, the NHL had perhaps it's greatest success in years with the introduction of the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will in all likelihood be a one-off as the league plans to fill its international slate with the Olympics and the revival of the World Cup of Hockey (both of which are great; don't get me wrong). But the big question after the league hit an undeniable home run with the tournament was whether or not the league would be able to carry some of that excitement and momentum through the regular season and into the Stanley Cup playoffs. Well, the first big measuring stick on this front was the Stadium Series game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium which drew over 90,000 people and became the second most attended game in NHL history behind only the 2014 NHL Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium between the Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. The TV audience was also incredibly impressive. ESPN announced that the game — which the Blue Jackets won 5-3 — drew 1.6 million viewers which made it the biggest regular season game since ESPN acquired broadcast rights for the league in 2021, and it was the most-watched Stadium Series game since 2019. Why would this be the case? I think there are a few reasons. Sure, there may have been a little post-4-Nations bump which is awesome but this game had a few things going for it that not all outdoor games have. First — and I think most importantly — featured two good teams, and it had serious playoff implications. This was not the case with the Winter Classic, though, in fairness, there's no way for the league to know how important these games will be when they put them on the schedule; it's just a matter of luck. There was also the fact that the Blue Jackets are one of the most compelling stories in sports right now for several reasons. Sadly, one of those reasons is the loss of superstar Johnny Gaudreau, but the team's perseverance through it has really been something to see. Plus, the way they honored Gaudreau, by having his family lead the team out for the game, was something I think a lot of people wanted to see. I'm sure many would argue another bonus was that the game featured an Original 6 team, but that's not a ticket to ratings paydirt in and of itself, case in point, is this year's Winter Classic. The Red Wings being in playoff contention certainly helps matters, as opposed to the basement-dwelling Blackhawks who competed in the Winter Classic. But whatever the case, it's great to see the league putting up some solid TV numbers.