SPORTS TELEVISION: Rogers' NHL rights deal came together in a hurry

By Chris Zelkovich

THE SHEER SIZE OF the recent National Hockey League broadcast rights deal with Rogers Communications -- an unprecedented $5.2 billion for 12 years – is enough to bend the mind of even the most plugged-in industry watcher.But what's equally staggering is how fast this all came together. The biggest deal in Canadian broadcast history was conceived and born in the space of about two months. “I've never seen a deal come together this quickly or this smoothly," says Rogers Media president Keith Pelley. “It's really amazing when you think about it."Driving the need for speed was the lack of time....