I'll admit, I jumped to page 4 without reading everything, so if this repetitive, I apologize in advance.
The NHL does help teams with the schedule right now.
I'd have to dig thru the internet, but I remember an interview with Pens VP of Communications Tom McMillan a couple years ago.
Basically, when the team was awful (Pre-Sid) the NHL 'helped' the Pens by giving them more weekend home games, and tried to make marquee opponents the team they played for a week night game.
The statement came after Sid arrived, and the sellout streak started. He was acknowledging the fact that the Pens were a marquee team again, and they would be the ones playing fewer Saturday night home games, so that they could "return the favor" and help some struggling teams at the gate.
It's purely a business move. If you can do it for teams not through things horribly out of whack, you should do it.