Colorado has the Avalanche. Very little about the NHL strike in the news. Colorado also has college hockey which is very popular, Denver University (DU) and Colorado College (Colo. Springs) both produce consistently high quality hockey teams. Their rivalry goes back many decades and any time they match up during the season the games are always a sell out. The Avalanche, the original Quebec Nordiques, brought a Stanley Cup to Denver early on but have struggled since ... interest in the team lags, eclipsed by Broncos football and Rockies baseball. The NHL strike will only damage their cause further.
Unfortunately for the NHL - and all major league sports - the continued economic uncertainty is going to make the more and more of a luxury than a necessity. One would hope they would begin to grasp this...