The NHL Network had a better year in 2017-2018 by our count, but that is truly saying very little. There is still a reluctance to carry Hometown Hockey on a substantial basis.
The Edmonton Oilers got some love from NBCSN but not love during the telecasts. Pierre McGuire was hostile to Edmonton in ways that were shocking and unprofessional. The Winnipeg Jets had a successful exciting team but NBCSN was very scared to carry the team. NBCSN still hasn't seen Winnipeg outside the first year when the Jets returned to the NHL. The NHL Network didn't do much better.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, ignored for huge lengths of time last season, got a more respectable schedule from the NHL Network this season.
NHL Network games in 2016-2017 season analysis
NHL Network games in 2015-2016 season analysis
Toronto — The Toronto Maple Leafs had 15 telecasts: 10 of those on Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada. 3 of those HNIC games came against Pittsburgh as well as 2 against Montréal and Boston.
The lone Hometown Hockey game involved hosting Edmonton on December 10. The Maple Leafs had 3 games in a 6-day period during the 2018 Olympics. Toronto got 9 home games and 6 road games.
Montréal — The Montréal Canadiens had 11 telecasts: 8 of those on Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada. 2 of those HNIC games came against Toronto and Boston.
The Habs were featured early on Hometown Hockey at the New York Rangers and Chicago. Montréal got 6 home games and 5 road games.
Ottawa — The Ottawa Senators had the 2 required games with Colorado in Stockholm, Sweden in November. The Sens didn't appear again until a pair of matinees in home-and-home with Philadelphia: on the road on February 3 and home on February 24. Ottawa also made a trip to Chicago on February 21.
Edmonton — Thanks to Connor McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers had 5 telecasts. Then again, 4 of those were away from Edmonton. The Oilers got a very rare U.S. home game hosting New Jersey on November 3. Edmonton had a pair of Hometown Hockey games on November 12 in Washington and December 10 in Toronto. The Oilers were also featured in Boston on November 26 and Chicago on January 7.
Winnipeg — The Jets had one of the best records in the NHL and that was worth 3 telecasts. Winnipeg hosted Pittsburgh on October 29 on Hometown Hockey. Winnipeg went to Calgary for Hockey Day in Canada on January 20. The Jets hosted the New York Rangers on February 11.
Calgary — A possible playoff team for most of the season, the Calgary Flames had 2 telecasts, both at home. The Flames hosted Winnipeg on Hockey Day in Canada on January 20 and Boston on Presidents Day on February 19.
Vancouver — The Vancouver Canucks had a Rookie of the Year contender in Brock Boeser, yet the Canucks had only a single telecast. Vancouver got a road game in Toronto on HNIC on January 6. This matchup has been unofficially banned for a few years but got a reprieve.
NHL Network 2017-2018
October 8 Montréal @ NY Rangers, 7p (HH)
October 9 Chicago @ Toronto, 7p
October 14 Toronto @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
October 28 NY Rangers @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
October 29 Pittsburgh @ Winnipeg, 7p (HH)
November 3 New Jersey @ Edmonton, 9p
November 5 Montréal @ Chicago, 7p (HH)
November 10 Ottawa vs. Colorado, 2p
November 11 Colorado vs. Ottawa, 1p
November 11 Toronto @ Boston, 7p (HNIC)
November 12 Edmonton @ Washington, 7p (HH)
November 25 Washington @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
November 26 Edmonton @ Boston, 5p
December 9 Toronto @ Pittsburgh, 7p (HNIC)
December 10 Edmonton @ Toronto, 7p (HH)
December 23 Toronto @ New York Rangers, 7p (HNIC)
January 6 Vancouver @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
January 7 Edmonton @ Chicago, 3p
January 8 Columbus @ Toronto, 7p
January 13 Boston @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
January 19 Montréal @ Washington, 7:30p
January 20 Winnipeg @ Calgary, 3p (HDIC)
January 20 Boston @ Montréal, 7p (HDIC)
February 3 Ottawa @ Philadelphia, 1p
February 3 Toronto @ Boston, 7p (HNIC)
February 10 Nashville @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
February 11 New York Rangers @ Winnipeg, 3p
February 12 Tampa Bay @ Toronto, 7p
February 14 Columbus @ Toronto, 7p
February 17 Toronto @ Pittsburgh, 7p (HNIC)
February 19 Boston @ Calgary, 4p
February 21 Ottawa @ Chicago, 8p
February 24 Philadelphia @ Ottawa, 2p
March 10 Pittsburgh @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
March 17 Montréal @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
March 24 Washington @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
March 31 Montreal @ Pittsburgh, 7p (HNIC)
Hometown Hockey
There were 5 Hometown Hockey games simulcast on the NHL Network. That is an improvement over the previous season, though without the standard NHL Center Ice free preview, the result is about the same.
October 8 Montréal @ NY Rangers, 7p
October 29 Pittsburgh @ Winnipeg, 7p
November 5 Montréal @ Chicago, 7p
November 12 Edmonton @ Washington, 7p
December 10 Edmonton @ Toronto, 7p
CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage
HNIC
There were 17 Hockey Night in Canada games, including a matinee on Hockey Day in Canada.
October 14 Toronto @ Montréal, 7p
October 28 NY Rangers @ Montréal, 7p
November 11 Toronto @ Boston, 7p
November 25 Washington @ Toronto, 7p
December 9 Toronto @ Pittsburgh, 7p
December 23 Toronto @ New York Rangers, 7p
January 6 Vancouver @ Toronto, 7p
January 13 Boston @ Montréal, 7p
January 20 Winnipeg @ Calgary, 3p
January 20 Boston @ Montréal, 7p
February 3 Toronto @ Boston, 7p
February 10 Nashville @ Montréal, 7p
February 17 Toronto @ Pittsburgh, 7p
March 10 Pittsburgh @ Toronto, 7p
March 17 Montréal @ Toronto, 7p
March 24 Washington @ Montréal, 7p
March 31 Montreal @ Pittsburgh, 7p
NBCSN
NBC showed the Toronto Maple Leafs for most of a game. NBCSN had the NHL100 Classic with the Montréal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa.
Those telecasts were required. Let's see how NBCSN covered the rest of the season.
Montréal enjoyed the most telecasts of the season with 8, 4 in La Belle Province. The 2 early season West Coast games were local simulcasts.
October 10 Chicago @ Montréal 7:30p
October 17 Montréal @ San Jose 10:30p
October 18 Montréal @ Los Angeles 10:30p
November 21 Edmonton @ St. Louis 8p
December 16 Montréal @ Ottawa 7p
January 2 Los Angeles @ Edmonton 9:30p
January 9 Edmonton @ Nashville 8p
January 15 NY Islanders @ Montréal 7:30p
January 17 Montréal @ Boston 7:30p
January 24 Toronto @ Chicago 8p
February 26 Philadelphia @ Montréal 7:30p
March 3 Toronto @ Washington 8p (NBC)
March 5 Toronto @ Buffalo 7:30p
March 15 Pittsburgh @ Montréal 7:30p
NBCSN discovered Edmonton in a lost year but still gave the Oilers 3 telecasts with the first time ever regular season appearance in Edmonton. The St. Louis game was remembered more for Pierre McGuire's bias than anything else.
Toronto only had 2 NBCSN appearances, zero at home and none in 2017.
Ottawa had the required game. Calgary (possible playoff team), Winnipeg (playoff team), and Vancouver had 0 games.
logo credits: NHL Network/NBCSN
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