The NHL is OK with CBC injecting more drama into the sport of hockey.

The NHL requested a sneak peek of MVP, a salacious prime-time soap about the lives of fictitious professional hockey players, which premieres Jan. 18 on CBC.

MVP will premiere Jan. 18 on CBC. MVP will premiere Jan. 18 on CBC.
(CBC Television)

"While it certainly could be interpreted not to cast professional hockey players in the most positive light, I also understand that its fiction," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly wrote in an e-mail to CBC.

"And I have enough faith in the Canadian public to see it as such. The CBC understood why we'd want to see a copy."

The NHL was concerned that its image might be impacted by MVP, which is being promoted as "the sexy and scandalous world of a fictitious NHL hockey team and their gorgeous girlfriends, wives, lovers and puck bunnies."

Having previewed the show, Daly sees no problem with it.

"If the question is, do I think the show fairly depicts the lives of professional hockey players, I would tell you it does not," Daly said. "But I don't think anyone is suggesting it does." 

Daly noted that the league has no issues with MVP being broadcast on CBC, which has shown NHL games on Hockey Night In Canada since 1952.

Four years ago, ESPN broadcast Playmakers, a sultry sports show similar to MVP about a fictitious football team, but admitted the NFL's disapproval factored in it being cancelled.

ESPN is an NFL rights holder.