Caught on LTL that the NHL had rolled out it’s ad campaign for the year, centered around the phrase “Is this the year?”

Some of the team- and player-centric ones are pretty awesome. They basically take off the “Where amazing happens” ads from the NBA last year. For example, here’s Rick Nash, and here’s the Red Wings.

But then there are four more ads that are flat out headscratchers.

Here’s NHL Wunderkind, Sydney Crosby:

He sounds like he’s about to throw a tantrum. I NEVER WANT TO BE IN THIS PICTURE AGAIN. I HATE YOU MOM.

And here’s Henrik Lundqvist, who apparently cuts himself:

I know the NHL has had issues marketing itself in the past, and this just highlights that they have no clue. They need to keep working on bringing people in by highlighting the best of the on-ice product. They don’t have the collateral to start going into how friggin’ deep the players are.

Score a goal, sound the horn, the crowd goes nuts. Insert logo. AND SCENE.