Back in December we noted how the professional sports leagues in the U.S. were displacing traditional media as a first-stop source for all your major-sports needs. At that time, the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NBA, and the NHL were all over the map with their online offerings.

While content was dizzyingly plentiful, it often felt like the sports leagues were throwing everything they had at the Web. Sometimes an overall strategy was apparent. Most of the times there was none.

The National Hockey League (NHL) is tidying up its broadband efforts by introducing a new higher-quality video player for nhl.com, a bunch of new channels, and more advertising options just in time for the Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin Wednesday.