The NHL appears ready to embrace jersey sponsorship.

John Collins, the league's chief operating officer, acknowledged the move is inevitable while speaking at the NeuLion Sports Media and Technology Conference in New York City on Thursday.

NHL COO John Collins: Jersey sponsorship in the NHL is both “coming and happening”. — Allan Walsh (@walsha) November 6, 2014

Collins also revealed that the league is testing digital replacement technology for board advertisements, according to Sports Business Journal.

A report by TSN's Rick Westhead in September suggested the NHL was reluctant to be the first North American league to sell advertising space on jerseys.

That report estimated a potential influx of $120 million in revenue, or $4 million per team.

As it turns out, Collins was speaking in a general sense about sponsorship on jerseys in all North American sports.