The schedule is a bit light over the Easter weekend, but the upcoming NHL Center Ice free preview means a lot more hockey starting Monday.
We got a limited preview when the season started, but didn't get an "All-Star Break." So having this week (thanks to baseball) and hopefully, having a final week will come close to a normal season.
Unlike the real "All-Star Break," sharing channels with MLB Extra Innings means fewer options for Canadian feeds and fewer repeats.
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NHL Network
Saturday
New York Rangers @ Montréal, 7p (CBC simulcast)
Tape delayed
Friday Winnipeg @ Pittsburgh, 3p
Thursday Montréal @ Philadelphia, 1p
CBC
Saturday
Toronto @ Ottawa, 7p (nationwide except Quebec)
New York Rangers @ Montréal, 7p (Quebec)
Vancouver @ Edmonton, 10p
TSN
Wednesday
Montréal @ Philadelphia, 7:30p
NHL Center Ice free preview
Monday
Winnipeg @ New York Rangers, 7p
Carolina @ Montréal, 7:30p
Calgary @ Edmonton, 9:30p
Vancouver @ San Jose, 10:30p
Tuesday
Ottawa @ Boston, 7p
Winnipeg @ New York Islanders, 7p
Wednesday
Edmonton @ Calgary, 10p
Thursday
Philadelphia @ Toronto, 7p
Winnipeg @ Montréal, 7:30p
Edmonton @ Vancouver, 10:30p
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The NBC Sports Network games are national, but Ed Olczyk seemed particularly angry about Boston's start. Pierre McGuire wasn't happy either. They had every right to critically analyze that element of the game (also Montréal was playing well). But you shouldn't be rooting for anybody on a national game, even if that team doesn't play in your country.
In the 3rd period, Doc Emrick referred at one point to fans watching that aren't rooting for either team. Emrick made it clear that some fans watching the NBC Sports Network telecast were rooting for the Habs. Not as many as NBCSN wants, but a helluva lot more than NBCSN thinks are there.
The NHL Network has had a habit of rebroadcasting the NBCSN feed the following afternoon. From a perspective standpoint, it would be nice for NBCSN to show the TSN feed the next day, so audiences can compare and contrast the two national telecasts.
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Jarome Iginla is a great Canadian player who was playing on a Canadian team, the face of a franchise that was fairly invisible in Canada and literally invisible in the United States.
Now Iginla is in Pittsburgh, and the Flames, looking to the future, didn't get a whole lot in return. Two college players not high on the Penguins depth charts and a 1st-round pick that won't be that high. Jay Feaster had a better deal with Boston, and probably would have had an even better deal with a team not on Iginla's list. Vancouver would have been glad to give up what Pittsburgh gave up, but the Canucks had no chance.
The only winner in the deal is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Iginla goes to a crowded roster of talent, including newly acquired Brendan Morrow, but he won't get as much playing time as he is used to in Calgary. Plus, by dictating where he would go in a narrow time frame, Iginla hurt the Flames in what they could get back.
Jay Feaster may have done the best he could in this window, but the Flames needed to have a plan to trade Iginla, and this couldn't have been it. And while the Flames will eventually get some help, that help is years away, and without the optimism of their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers.
The NBC Sports Network spent both breaks Wednesday talking about Jarome Iginla. The sad part is they only mentioned him because of the upcoming trade. Iginla deserves better in a lot of ways. NBC, NBC Sports Network, and the NHL Network will have more reasons to mention him; too bad it took being traded to an American team for that to happen.
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Rick Ball was needed because CBC had a full list of games last weekend. Mark Lee and Greg Millen handled things in Winnipeg on Friday night.
Ron MacLean and Don Cherry were in Montreal for their tour of Canadian cities for the 60th anniversary of Hockey Night in Canada. Last stop, which will have to be soon, is Ottawa.
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Winnipeg is leading the Southeast Division, but had a good opportunity to add some daylight as the struggling Capitals came to Winnipeg for back-to-back nights. The Capitals outscored the Jets in the two games 10-1. Dustin Byfuglien scored 9:51 into the 3rd period Friday night for the Jets only goal.
The Friday night game was Winnipeg's second straight loss to the Caps at MTS Centre on a CBC national feed. Washington posted a 3-0 shutout on Winnipeg in that CBC Saturday matinee.
The Jets need to be better on the national stage, and should take better advantage of teams traveling far to get to Winnipeg.
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Too bad for Buffalo Sabres fans that they couldn't watch their team on the CBC Saturday night. Buffalo area residents can get CBLT Toronto via cable or antenna, but CBLT carried the Maple Leafs. Ironically, fans in Boston got to watch the Sabres-Canadiens, since the Bruins were blacked out.
The CBC should show its split hockey feeds over-the-air, so hockey fans could watch the Leafs on 5-1 and the Canadiens and Sabres on 5-2. And if your antenna is strong enough, invite a few friends over to watch the game on CBC.