• by Wayne Friedman , October 1, 2010

The National Hockey League's new marketing campaign intends to tease fans with major questions for the upcoming season. 

Starting Friday, Oct. 1, the NHL's campaign "Questions Will Become Answers" centers around five spots, featuring some of the league's top stars. In each spot, a player performs a rigorous off-ice training routine. In the background, two sports talk radio analysts provide a running commentary -- and ask big questions.

As Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain, throws a heavy medicine ball while teetering on a balance board supported only by a metal pipe, the radio hosts ask if "the Penguins rebound and return to the top."

In another, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin snaps two heavy tabata ropes back and forth with extra vigor. That's when the sports announcers ask if the Capitals can "be the best team in the regular season and the playoffs."

A third positions Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews in the gym doing squats as the analysts muse whether the team has what it takes to "repeat as champs," or whether "they'll have a target on their backs every night."

Brian Jennings, executive vice president of marketing for the NHL, stated: "The campaign is intended to not only ask the provocative questions that fans have on their minds about their favorite teams but to showcase the intense training and preparation the players endure to the answer those questions."

Creative was developed by the National Hockey League and ad agency Young & Rubicam. The campaign will also include 30 team-specific TV spots, online digital banners, in-store POP and social media-platforms.