Editor's Note: NBCSN is picking up the Montréal-Washington game on February 20. This is a simulcast of the NBC Sports Washington feed. The NHL Network dropped the Winnipeg-Philadelphia game on February 22.
Hockey Day in Canada is February 8 from Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. The NHL Network will have a simulcast of the CBC coverage of the daytime coverage plus the matinee game and the Toronto-Montréal matchup. The late game would have been too much to ask.
The Hometown Hockey games are matinees on February 2 because of the Super Bowl. The same courtesy wasn't granted to the Grey Cup in November.
NBCSN carries a Canadian doubleheader on February 12. Both games are on U.S. soil. Edmonton hosts San Jose, the reverse of an earlier NBCSN telecast, on February 6. The Maple Leafs travel to Pittsburgh in the other NBCSN telecast of the month. The channel only showed 2 games involving Canadian teams in the previous 2 months.
The NHL Network loads up on Winnipeg Jets games in February. The channel is showing its first Vancouver Canucks game of the season in a rarely shown all-Canada matchup. NBC's insecurities forced the NHL Network to not carry a game opposite the Stadium Series on February 15.
ESPN+ has a strong slate of games, a nice alternative to NHL Network, especially for non-HNIC games. The service isn't afraid to carry the Battle of Alberta.
We didn't leave out February 26 for Wednesday Night Hockey; no Canadian teams play that night. Then again, the February 12 coverage has 3 games, 2 of which also air on NBCSN in the U.S.
We haven't seen a midseason NHL Center Ice free preview. If that changes, we will update this story.
NBCSN
February 6
San Jose @ Edmonton, 9:30p
February 12
Montréal @ Boston, 7:30p
February 12
Calgary @ Los Angeles, 10p
February 18
Toronto @ Pittsburgh, 7p
February 20
Montréal @ Washington, 7p
NHL Network
February 1
St. Louis @ Winnipeg, 7p (HNIC)
February 8
Ottawa @ Winnipeg, 2p (HDIC)
February 8
Toronto @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
February 22
Winnipeg @ Philadelphia, 1p (HNIC)
February 29
Vancouver @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
ESPN+
February 1
Edmonton @ Calgary, 10p
February 2
Vancouver @ Carolina, 2p
February 3
Florida @ Toronto, 7p
February 4
Edmonton @ Arizona, 9p
February 6
Winnipeg @ St. Louis, 8p
February 9
Chicago @ Winnipeg, 7p
February 11
Chicago @ Edmonton, 9p
February 12
Chicago @ Vancouver, 10:30p
February 14
Montréal @ Pittsburgh, 7p
February 16
Toronto @ Buffalo, 7p
Chicago @ Winnipeg, 8:30p
February 17
Anaheim @ Calgary, 4p
February 19
Minnesota @ Vancouver, 10:30p
February 20
Pittsburgh @ Toronto, 7p
February 21
Boston @ Calgary, 9p
February 22
Carolina @ Toronto, 7p
Boston @ Vancouver, 10p
February 24
Ottawa @ Columbus, 7p
February 25
Toronto @ Tampa Bay, 7p
February 27
Calgary @ Nashville, 8p
Washington @ Winnipeg, 8p
Hockey Night in Canada
February 1
Ottawa @ Toronto, 7p/St. Louis @ Winnipeg, 7p
Edmonton @ Calgary, 10pFebruary 8 (Hockey Day in Canada)
Ottawa @ Winnipeg, 2p
Toronto @ Montréal, 7p/Nashville @ Edmonton, 7p
Calgary @ Vancouver, 10pFebruary 15
Toronto @ Ottawa, 7p/Dallas @ Montréal, 7p
Chicago @ Calgary, 10pFebruary 22
Winnipeg @ Philadelphia, 1p/Carolina @ Toronto, 7p/Montréal @ Ottawa, 7p
Boston @ Vancouver, 10pFebruary 29
Vancouver @ Toronto, 7p/Carolina @ Montréal, 7p/Detroit @ Ottawa, 7p
Winnipeg @ Edmonton, 10p
Hometown Hockey
February 2 Columbus @ Montréal, 2p/Vancouver @ Carolina, 2p (Châteauguay, QC)
February 9 Chicago @ Winnipeg, 7p (Ottawa, ON)
February 16 Toronto @ Buffalo, 7p (Quebec City, QC)
February 23 Calgary @ Detroit, 7p (LaSalle, ON)
Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts
February 4 Edmonton @ Arizona, 9p
February 5 Toronto @ NY Rangers, 7:30p
February 6 Nashville @ Calgary, 9p
February 12 Montréal @ Boston, 7:30p/Calgary @ Los Angeles, 10p/Chicago @ Vancouver, 10:30p
February 18 Toronto @ Pittsburgh, 7p
February 19 Boston @ Edmonton, 8:30p
February 21 Boston @ Calgary, 9p
Canada's most iconic drummer sets the stage for hockey's most iconic night.
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 12, 2020
The late Neil Peart provides the soundtrack for #HockeyNight. 🥁🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/33iWhUNlIS
The U.S. audience outside the CBC markets had to go online to watch the Hockey Night in Canada open featuring the late Neil Peart of Rush. Peart passed away on January 7 after a long struggle with brain cancer.
The song Fly by Night (1975) was one of Rush's first hits with its new drummer.
The matchups that night were all-Canadian games with Montréal at Ottawa and Edmonton at Calgary. Their hometown Maple Leafs had a rare Saturday night off.
Neil Peart, legendary Rush drummer and lyricist, passes away at 67
Bob Cole got on Hockey Night in Canada. Cole never got out of the pregame show on January 18. Ron MacLean talked to Cole about the blizzard they had in his home province. Newfoundland got more than 75 cm (30 inches) of snow with winds approaching 150 km (93 miles). They had a great shot of the Rocket Bakery on Water Street in downtown St. John's.
MacLean asked Cole about how often he had to fly out early because of storms in St. John's. Cole said he had to fly out early 3-4 times in his career and never missed a game.
Cole got in a crack about how a state of emergency got him back onto Hockey Night in Canada. Still sounds good.
NHL the month in preview January 2020
"Calgary and Edmonton pulled off the James Neal/Milan Lucic trade. Neal, who could score everywhere but Calgary, takes his horrible contract north to Edmonton. Lucic, who was tough and could score in Boston and Los Angeles but couldn't score in Edmonton, goes south with his horrible contract. As slow as Lucic has been, I was shocked to find out he's only 31. Edmonton gets the advantage in the deal in our book because Neal has shown upside in other cities. Good luck to both players and teams."
You didn't have to be Nostradamus to realise Edmonton would win this trade. James Neal proved that he can score everywhere but Calgary. His veteran leadership was also helpful in the Oilers great start to the season. Milan Lucic gives the Flames some intangibles but hasn't proven to be all that tough or able to score. Calgary could claim that not having Neal is useful regardless of what Lucic provides.
Neal has more goals (19) than Lucic has points (10). Neal has power play goals (12) than Lucic has points. Neal has 28 points while Lucic has 4 goals and 6 assists. Lucic has the huge advantage for penalty minutes: 38-10. Neal is a surprising -20 in the +/- category while Lucic is at a surprising 0. They have different skills. Both teams are doing well in a very tight division.
NHL the month in preview December 2019
The 2021 Winter Classic will be at Target Field in Minneapolis. The Winnipeg Jets would be a logical opponent. The NHL has allowed Toronto (2014) and Montréal (2016) into the Winter Classic. Minnesota hosted an outdoor game in 2016 against Chicago (yawn). Montréal has not hosted an outdoor game.
When Boston landed a Winter Classic at Fenway Park, Montréal was the logical opponent. The NHL claimed Philadelphia was a great rival and picked them over the Habs. NHL, don't do the same lame thing to the Winnipeg Jets.
The NHL works really hard to promote the Winter Classic and Stadium Series. The NHL hardly promotes the Heritage Classic on the few years where the league allows its existence.
Elliotte Friedman talked about the likelihood of Edmonton hosting an outdoor NHL game for the 2021-2022 season. Montréal still hasn't hosted an outdoor game. Canada could host a game in back-to-back seasons but the NHL frowns on that prospect.
Back to the business of media. I'm told that the regional tv rights for your @NHLFlames + @EdmontonOilers both expire after this season. Those in the know believe @Sportsnet will walk away from @NHLFlames and stick with @EdmontonOilers. More as season progresses.
— jonah (@yyzsportsmedia) January 4, 2020
We won't speculate too much until this becomes true. Rogers changed over the Calgary team in 2014 bringing in Rick Ball, who was working for the BC Lions and Vancouver Canucks, and Kelly Hrudey. For the complaints about the Edmonton crew, the previous Calgary crew was much worse.
Ball might want to stay if either Shaw or TSN takes the rights, unless Rogers is serious about making Ball a national announcer. R.J. Broadhead, not Ball, has been the one to fill in on national games. Hrudey might pick Toronto for the Hockey Night in Canada crew. Cassie Campbell-Pascall would be torn with her national work and a chance to do colour analysis for the team that employs her husband.
Mark Lee and Drew Remenda would make a nice combination. Sportsnet is definitely underutilising Remenda on the Edmonton Oilers studio segments.
NHL the month in preview November 2019
Canada defeated the United States 2-1 in a 3-on-3 women's hockey battle in St. Louis at the NHL All-Star Game festivities. That was fun watching players play for the puck instead of pile driving each other into the boards.
Rebecca Johnston scored a quick goal early in the first of a pair of 10-minute periods. Melodie Daoust added a then insurance goal early in the second period.
Canadian goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens was outstanding, stopping some tough American shots, including a glove save against Amanda Kessel at the end of the game. Hilary Knight had the only goal for the Americans.
Other Canadian players were Marie-Philip Poulin, Meghan Agosta, Blayre Turnbull, Sarah Nurse, Natalie Spooner, Renata Fast, and Laura Fortino. Let's get the NHL behind a real women's league where they make some decent money.
NHL the month in preview October 2019
Canada's 6-0 defeat to Russia, the team's first shutout defeat in over 2 decades, didn't seem to lend itself to Canada winning the gold medal at the 2020 World Juniors in Ostrava and Třinec in the Czech Republic.
The Canadian team came back from a 3-1 deficit in the 3rd period to post a 4-3 victory over Russia in the gold medal game. This was Canada's 3rd world junior gold medal in 6 years.
Akil Thomas scored his first and only goal of the tournament at 3:58 remaining in the third period for the winner. Alexis Lafreniere and captain Barrett Hayton both suffered injuries during the tournament but came back to help win the gold. Nico Daws started in goal for Canada; Joel Hofer was the backup but was in goal for the gold medal game.
The Boxing Day win over the United States snapped a 4-game losing streak against its southern rival.
Canada had little trouble with Slovakia in the quarterfinals and Finland in the semifinals. Canada outscored opponents 22-5 after the Russia loss and before the gold medal game.
The 2021 World Juniors will be in Edmonton and Red Deer in Alberta. Edmonton hosted the tournament in 1995 and 2012 while Red Deer was the primary host in 1995.
What we missed during the 2019 NHL offseason
Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage
CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage
January 6 Edmonton @ Toronto, 7p: John Forslund/AJ Mleczko
Our issue with Forslund is he doesn't seem to like Canada or its teams. An all-Canadian matchup is a nightmare for Forslund. Forslund will likely take over for Doc Emrick someday unless Gary Thorne shifts back to hockey. Mleczko is getting better. Good to see her without another colour analyst.
The NBCSN game crew went out of its way to not focus on Leon Draisaitl. They only seemed interested in Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews to the exclusion of their teammates. Forslund referred to Toronto's Mitch Marner as "Mitchell." Mike Milbury seemed drunk or had the flu during the first intermission. The game production was so stripped down you wondered whether Forslund and Mleczko were even in Toronto.
As for CBC promos, there was a Hockey Night in Canada game on January 18 but the CBC feed (via the NHL Network) was blacked out for your humble narrator. The only other HNIC game was January 4 via the Citytv feed.
photo credit: Rogers Sportsnet
Twitter captures: @sportsnet; @yyzsportsmedia