NHL May Be On TV Via ESPN

NEW YORK The NHL might be close to striking a deal with ESPN forrights to its regular-season and Stanley Cup playoff games that couldearn the league from $12 million to $16 million a year.

In addition, a source close to the negotiations said anagreement might also include 4-6 games per season on ABC, which ownsESPN. The NHL probably would buy the time from ABC under anyagreement.

The New York Times reported the network and the NHL reached atentative agreement on a five-year deal worth $80 million, or $16million a year, during the NHL's one-day meeting Tuesday in St.Petersburg, Fla. The paper quoted unidentified sources in the NHL.

The package would …