Even though the NHL Network went out of its way to note that the channel would show the rebroadcast of the Calgary-Edmonton game, the NHL Network blew off its coverage. So there was no Hockey Night in Canada action over the New Year's Day weekend on the NHL Network.
Technically, the cable channel did show the CBC coverage of the Winter Classic, something the channel hasn't done before. In fact, the channel showed the CBC version twice on Sunday, essentially substituting a second version of the CBC coverage instead of running the Calgary-Edmonton game.
The only pseudo-logical reasoning was that the NHL Network wanted to pretend no other NHL game existed at the same time as the Winter Classic.
Once again, the Winter Classic had a version of O Canada before the game. Former Barenaked Ladies lead singer Steven Page did the honors, adding French for the first two lines of the third stanza, a combination not typically heard in any Canadian NHL city.
In NBC's coverage, Doc Emrick mentioned Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia quite a bit, since that is where Sidney Crosby grew up.
Those who rely on the CBC along the border must have had an intriguing night of hockey, depending on where they get the CBC. Those near CBC stations in Ontario got the Toronto at Ottawa game in its entirety followed by the conclusion of the Winter Classic and then the remainder of Calgary at Edmonton. In Alberta, they got the first period of Toronto at Ottawa, the second period of the Winter Classic, and all of Calgary at Edmonton. The rest of Canada got the first period of Toronto at Ottawa, all of the Winter Classic, and the conclusion of Calgary at Edmonton.
Given that through cable, Canadian viewers had an NBC feed of the Winter Classic, the patterns of TV watching on both sides of the border should prove intriguing.
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In watching some of the CBC coverage, you got more coverage of a hockey game vs. NBC's obsession over Crosby vs. Ovechkin. Back in the CBC studio, there was actually talk of how Crosby and Ovechkin didn't have good games. Nice to get that CBC perspective.
Let's hope if Versus doesn't give us the CBC feed of the Heritage Classic in February, then the NHL Network would show us how the CBC covers Canada's Heritage Classic.
And let's hope the NHL Network gives a bunch of hype for the Heritage Classic, though it likely won't be as intense as the Winter Classic coverage.
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For those of us who longed for the CBC's Canadian games, there is a mixed bag for U.S. viewers. You can watch some elements of Hockey Night in Canada online via CBCSports.ca. The in-between segments, especially Coach's Corner, and wrapups of games are readily available to those outside Canada. Full games, and for whatever reason, After Hours, are only available to Canadian ISPs.
Unofficially, you can check YouTube for a version of After Hours. Usually, they are just the main interview segments. I don't mean to not give credit to the person/people who does/do this, but I don't want to get them in trouble. I will admit to being a sincere fan of that person's efforts.
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The Hot Stove, which I watched online through the CBC, speculated on where next year's Winter Classic will take place. Pierre LeBrun, who primarily works for ESPN, talked about Lincoln Field in Philadelphia or possibly Denver for next year's site. Minnesota was mentioned, but the Wild aren't considered a "very sexy team."
LeBrun said the NHL prefers the football stadium model as opposed to the baseball stadium. If that is true, Philadelphia would be a better destination for the NHL. Denver's baseball stadium is a better, more exciting destination than its football stadium. And Minneapolis has a brand new nice baseball stadium, but its football situation is up in the air.
I personally thought the NHL would run toward the new Yankee Stadium and feature the New York Rangers, but the NHL isn't as New York-centric as other sports leagues. The stadium in the Bronx hosted a college football bowl game this year.
If the NHL feels that way about football stadiums, this would help Canada in its quest to continue the Heritage Classic. Canada has great football options coast-to-coast, and some good soccer choices. Baseball-wise, the only realistic options are Rogers Centre (retractable roof) and Olympic Stadium (permanent roof).
Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver have solid soccer options, if the NHL is willing to go with "only" a 25,000 capacity.
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The nighttime version of the Winter Classic reminded us of the first Heritage Classic, the previous only nighttime regular season NHL outdoors game. The conditions were too cold in Edmonton and still too warm in Pittsburgh.
But the powers that be will likely consider bringing the game back to nighttime, especially if that increases the number of cities where a Winter/Heritage Classic can take place. For those who may have thought Vancouver would never work out, that city's weather isn't any worse than Pittsburgh on Saturday night, though Vancouver's rain reputation would be an issue.
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This week, the NHL Network will show Pittsburgh at Montréal on Thursday, and Boston at Montréal on Saturday, along with the Detroit at Vancouver rebroadcast on Sunday. The weekend feeds will come from the CBC. Presumably, Thursday's game will come from the new TSN English coverage of Canadiens games that the network started this season.
However, since the game was on the NHL Network schedule BEFORE the TSN deal, the feed might come from Fox Sports Pittsburgh. The only other channel carrying the game is RDS — in Francais.