It’s the mid-summer version of Christmas morning for fans that are champing at the bit to get to a new hockey season. Much like Steve Martin in “The Jerk” we’re shouting about the arrival of this year’s national television broadcast schedule. Over here at PHT we’re extra excited because of all the added games we’ll have on Versus/NBC Sports Network this season as well as an earlier start to the NHL on NBC broadcast schedule.
On the NBC side of things, we’ll be kicking off our coverage the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday November 25, with an original six pairing between the Detroit Red Wings and defending champion Boston Bruins at 1 p.m. ET. It’s only fitting that the defending champs get to debut what will become an annual tradition on Black Friday with the NHL dropping the puck in the afternoon after fans have either shopped their faces off that morning of they’re still sleeping off the turkey hangover.
January 2 will be the date of the NHL Winter Classic and while the NHL has yet to confirm that the game will be between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, they’re set to square off on NBC that Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. All the dots are connected here.
February 19 will be Hockey Day In America and once again it’ll be a regional broadcast day with four games this time around. St. Louis will be in Chicago to take on the Blackhawks, San Jose in Detroit to face the Red Wings, and the Penguins visiting Buffalo to face the Sabres. Meanwhile the Bruins hit the road to play the Wild in Minnesota.
As for the full schedule, here’s how it plays out for NHL on NBC.Fri., Nov. 25 Detroit at Boston 1 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 2 New York Rangers @ Philadelphia 1 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 14 Chicago at Detroit 12:30 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 22 Was at Pit or Bos @ Phi 12:30 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 12 TBD 12:30 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 19 Pit @ Buff / SJ @ Det / STL @ Chi 12 p.m.
Boston at Minnesota 3 p.m.
Sun., March 4 Bos @ NYR or Phi @ Wash 12:30 p.m.
Sun., March 11 LA @ Chi or Bos @ Pit 12:30 p.m.
Sun., March 18 Pit @ Phi or Was @ Chi 12:30 p.m.
Sun., April 1 Bos @ NYR or Phi @ Pit 12:30 p.m.
Sat., April 7 Was @ NYR or Phi @ Pit or Chi @ Det or Buf @ Bos TBD
Days with the flex schedule that feature more than one game that could be played on NBC will see the game that isn’t aired on NBC instead played on NBC Sports Network (Versus) that night instead.
Speaking of NBC Sport Network (Versus) our schedule there is a monster one and it all kicks off on October 6 with a doubleheader featuring the new look Philadelphia Flyers opening the season in Boston against the Bruins as they’ll raise their championship banner at TD Garden at 7 p.m. ET. That game will be followed up with the defending Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks facing off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Rogers Arena in Vancouver at 10 p.m. ET.
Come late January, NBC Sports Network will carry the All-Star Game from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on Sunday January 29 as well as the skills competition on the 28th and fantasy all-star draft on the 27th.
You can check out the Versus/NBC Sports Network schedule here. It’s a whopper. (All times Eastern)October
Thurs., Oct. 6 Philadelphia at Boston 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Vancouver 10 p.m.
Fri., October 7 New York Rangers/Los Angeles* 1 p.m.
Sat., October 8 New York Rangers/Anaheim* 1 p.m.
Mon., October 10 Tampa Bay at Washington 7 p.m.
Tues., October 11 Florida at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.
Wed., October 12 Boston at Carolina 7:30 p.m.
Mon., October 17 Colorado at Toronto 7 p.m.
Tues., October 18 Pittsburgh at Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Tues., October 25 Tampa Bay at Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Mon., October 31 San Jose at New York Rangers 7 p.m.
November
Tues., November 1 Anaheim at Washington 7:30 p.m.
Wed., November 2 Philadelphia at Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Mon., November 7 New York Islanders at Boston 7 p.m.
Tues., November 8 Carolina at New Jersey 7:30 p.m.
Wed., November 9 Philadelphia at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
Mon., November 14 Buffalo at Montreal 7 p.m.
Tues., November 15 Colorado at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.
Wed., November 16 New Jersey at Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Mon., November 21 Boston at Montreal 7:30 p.m.
Tues., November 22 Los Angeles at St. Louis 7:30 p.m.
Mon., November 28 Tampa Bay at Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Tues., November 29 Pittsburgh at New York Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Wed., November 30 Tampa Bay at Detroit 7:30 p.m.
December
Mon., December 5 Phoenix at Chicago 8 p.m.
Tues., December 6 Detroit at St. Louis 7:30 p.m.
Wed., December 7 Philadelphia at Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Mon., December 12 New Jersey at Tampa Bay 7 p.m.
Tues., December 13 San Jose at Colorado 9 p.m.
Wed., December 14 Chicago at Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Mon., December 19 Anaheim at Dallas 8 p.m.
Tues., December 20 Chicago at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.
Wed., December 21 Philadelphia at Dallas 7:30 p.m.
Mon., December 26 Dallas at St. Louis 7:30 p.m.
Tues., December 27 St. Louis at Detroit 7:30 p.m.
Wed., December 28 New York Rangers at Washington 7:30 p.m.
January
Mon., January 2 San Jose at Vancouver 8 p.m.
Tues., January 3 Detroit at Dallas 8 p.m.
Wed., January 4 Boston at New Jersey 7:30 p.m.
Sun., January 8 Detroit at Chicago 7:30p.m.
Tues., January 10 San Jose at Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Wed., January 11 Pittsburgh at Washington 7:30 p.m.
Sun., January 15 New York Rangers at Montreal 7 p.m.
Mon., January 16 Dallas at St. Louis 7:30 p.m.
Tues., January 17 Nashville at New York Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Wed., January 18 Buffalo at Chicago 7:30 p.m.
Mon., January 23 St. Louis at Detroit** 7:30 p.m.
Tues., January 24 Minnesota at Colorado 9 p.m.
Wed., January 25 Detroit at Montreal 7:30 p.m.
Fri., January 27 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft TBD
Sat., January 28 NHL Skills Competition TBD
Sun., January 29 NHL All-Star Game TBD
Tues., January 31 Washington at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
February
Wed., February 1 New York Rangers at Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Sun., February 5 Boston at Washington 12:30 p.m.
Mon., February 6 Detroit at Phoenix 8 p.m.
Tues., February 7 Los Angeles at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
Wed., February 8 Boston at Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Sun., February 12 Philadelphia at Detroit 7:30 p.m.
Mon., February 13 San Jose at Washington 7:30 p.m.
Tues., February 14 Anaheim at Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Wed., February 15 Boston at Montreal 7:30 p.m.
Sun., February 19 New Jersey at Montreal 6 p.m.
Mon., February 20 Washington at Carolina 7:30 p.m.
Tues., February 21 Detroit at Chicago 8 p.m.
Wed., February 22 Los Angeles at Colorado 9 p.m.
Sun., February 26 Chicago at Anaheim 7 p.m.
Mon., February 27 New Jersey at New York Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Tues., February 28 Los Angeles at Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Wed., February 29 Pittsburgh at Dallas 7:30 p.m.
March
Sun., March 4 Bos @ NYR or Phi @ Wash 7 p.m.
Mon., March 5 Buffalo at Winnipeg 8 p.m.
Tues., March 6 Minnesota at Colorado 9 p.m.
Wed., March 7 Toronto at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.
Sun., March 11 LA @ Chi or Bos @ Pit 7:30 p.m.
Mon., March 12 Anaheim at Colorado 9 p.m.
Tues., March 13 Carolina at New York Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Wed., March 14 Colorado at Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Sun., March 18 Pit @ Phi or Was @ Chi 7 p.m.
Mon., March 19 New Jersey at New York Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Tues., March 20 Phoenix at Dallas 8 p.m.
Wed., March 21 Detroit at New York Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Sun., March 25 Minnesota at Washington 5 p.m.
Nashville at Chicago 7:30 p.m.
Mon., March 26 Tampa Bay at Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
Tues., March 27 Tampa Bay at Boston 7:30 p.m.
Wed., March 28 Detroit at Columbus 7:30 p.m.
April
Sun., April 1 Bos @ NYR or Phi @ Pit 7:30 p.m.
Mon., April 2 Washington at Tampa Bay 7 p.m.
Tues., April 3 Pittsburgh at Boston 7:30 p.m.
Wed., April 4 Detroit at St. Louis 7:30 p.m.
Thurs., April 5 Columbus at Colorado 9 p.m.
Fri., April 6 Phoenix at St. Louis 7:30 p.m.
Sat., April 7 (Two Games, TBD) TBD
* NHL Premiere™ Games in Europe
We weren’t kidding when we said we’d be busier around here. Apart from all the games you’ll be able to see here on the NBC family of networks, the NHL Network will also have their fair share of games to show as well and they’ve got an extensive schedule as well.
The season isn’t too far away now and getting to look over what we’ll have in store for TV purposes should all keep us busy until training camp starts... Right?