Without a national TV contract there was little reason for hockey fans to interact with the NHL brand online. In response, and to capitalize on the huge amount of assets and content it owns, the NHL launched this customizable, team-centric site. It’s a significant library of exclusive video footage, impressive photography and a subscription-based streaming video service.

Built in order of priority to fans, the primary navigation is a clear series of links relating to teams (scores, schedule, standings) players (stats, teams, players) and more general areas of content. Just above it is a main scoreboard that updates in real-time showing live, past and future games and a nav bar of team logos that launches fans easily to individual team sites. The nav changes slightly based on whether the league is in-season or in playoffs.

In addition to the extensive photo galleries and video footage that the NHL has to offer, there’s GameCenter. Since few fans get to see their teams play live, the site includes a live game dashboard featuring highlights, real-time stats, real-time play-by-play, an ice tracker (showing shots, player and highlight video), photos, live fan chat and home and away audio coverage. For a fee, GameCenter becomes GameCenter LIVE, an interface featuring live video, alternate camera angles (that aren't televised), multi-game views and access to archived games, real-time data, highlights and fan chat capabilities.

• It took AKQA , Rocketfuel Studios and NeuLion seven months to produce the site.

• NHL Connect, the site's community feature was updated and integrated throughout the site to encourage fan interaction and content-sharing.  

• After the site launched the NHL was featured in Fast Company as one of the ten most innovative companies in sports.  

• GameCenter LIVE year-to-date subscriptions jumped 250 percent (prior to GameCenter LIVE, the NHL had Center Ice Online, a pay service to see live game video).