Well it is true, the NBA has more recognizable stars. Face it, the NHL comming off a lockout and horrible marketing is deserving of this critiscism. The NHL needs better marketing obviously, they need to bring out the storylines to the public rather than having the hardcore fans only obtaining this. Right now no one knows who danial briere is or eric staal is, and who is to blame? Marketing is one thing, but when you do not have the exposure and platform to tell your stories what's the point? Right now Sportscenter, espn and TNT gives the NBA its platform, and for those of you who want to use this as an argument for the NHL going back to ESPN please don't. ESPN would never give the NHL exposure and time to the NHL simply because it isn't a draw, and it isn't a big draw because lack of exposure. It is a pretty tough cycle and espn isn't going to do anything to promote the NHL other than their usual, they go for whatever can make them money thus the reason they pick up contracts of popular things. The NHL will always be filler for them unless they get decent ratings which then they can make money off of them.
I'm going to end my rant at that.