Katsuhiko Muramoto of the Japanese anime studio Kyoto Animation has confirmed with ANN on Monday that the studio never held talks with North America's National Hockey League (NHL) regarding a partnership. On Wednesday, the Bleacher Report sports website posted an article which claimed that the NHL was "considering a partnership with several Japanese Animation studios which could be in place effect as soon as next season." The article listed Kyoto Animation, MADHOUSE, and J.C. Staff as the anime studios involved. ANN is awaiting an additional response from MADHOUSE.

The author of the Bleacher Report article, "Doc Stradler," had just joined that website's NHL community just one hour before posting the article. It was the only article credited to the name. Bleacher Report allows users to post articles without verification, but it has since deleted Doc Stradler's article and profile.

Update: Bleacher Report has posted a Sunday "clarification" about the "misguided attempt at humor," and Nirva Milord, the Director of Entertainment Publicity for the NHL, also told the Anime Vice website that the report was false.

Update: Masakazu Watanabe of J.C. Staff also confirmed with ANN that there is no truth to the story regarding a partnership with the NHL.