TNT starts 2023 with a couple of Toronto home games. Nashville crosses the border (11) in their yellow sweaters. The U.S. network has an Original 6 game as part of an all-Canadian doubleheader as the New York Rangers come to Scotiabank Arena (25) followed by Johnny Gaudreau and his squad in Edmonton.
The main ESPN network gets close to being on Canadian soil with the Maple Leafs in Detroit (12). Finally, the network finally crosses into Canada almost a year and a half into the new deal with Dave Randorf's team in Edmonton (19). TNT had the opening half of that latter rivalry back in November.
NHL Network features the Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada hosting Detroit (7), in Boston (14), and a rare all-Canadian matchup in Montréal (21) as part of Hockey Day in Canada. Calgary gets a Showcase game in Dallas (14).
The Winnipeg Jets get 3 games in the month: in Pittsburgh (13) and hosting Arizona (15) and St. Louis (30). Ottawa gets more love from the U.S. channel hosting Nashville (9) and in Pittsburgh (20).
The Maple Leafs also get a Sunday game hosting Washington (29).
ESPN+/Hulu finally figured out how to get to Canada 4 days later after the addition of the Oilers game mentioned earlier and finally shows a NHL game on Canadian soil. Maybe they were afraid of how good butter tarts are and stayed away as a result. The U.S. network will show Johnny Gaudreau's return to Calgary (23). Unless the schedule changes significantly, these will be the only ESPN games in Canada in the regular season in 2 years of the contract.
Why is Rogers Sportsnet giving a gift to the CBC to let the public broadcaster show a Friday night game? Best not to ask. Both CBC and Sportsnet will show the Battle of Ontario at Scotiabank Arena on January 27 as a Hockey Night in Canada Special.
Hockey Day in Canada will be on January 21 in Owen Sound, ON. Tampa Bay is the lone U.S. team and there are 2 prime time games in the East. ESPN+ will have the other 3 games that day for the U.S. audience.
The NHL takes an All-Star Game break February 2-5 so we have added the February 1 game to this schedule.
TNT
January 11
Nashville @ Toronto, 7:30p
January 25
NY Rangers @ Toronto, 7p/Columbus @ Edmonton, 9:30p
ESPN
January 12
Toronto @ Detroit, 7p
January 19
Tampa Bay @ Edmonton, 9p
NHL Network
January 7
Detroit @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
January 9
Nashville @ Ottawa, 7:30p
January 13
Winnipeg @ Pittsburgh, 7p
January 14
Calgary @ Dallas, 2p (Showcase)
Toronto @ Boston, 7p (HNIC)
January 15
Arizona @ Winnipeg, 7p
January 20
Ottawa @ Pittsburgh, 7p
January 21
Toronto @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
January 29
Washington @ Toronto, 5p
January 30
St. Louis @ Winnipeg, 8p
ESPN+/Hulu
January 23
Columbus @ Calgary, 9:30p
Hockey Night in Canada
January 7
Detroit @ Toronto, 7p/St. Louis @ Montréal, 7p/Seattle @ Ottawa, 7p/Colorado @ Edmonton, 10p
January 14
Toronto @ Boston, 7p/Montréal @ NY Islanders, 7p/Ottawa @ Colorado, 7p/Vancouver @ Florida, 7p/Edmonton @ Las Vegas, 10p
January 21 (Hockey Day in Canada)
Tampa Bay @ Calgary, 3p/Toronto @ Montréal, 7p/Winnipeg @ Ottawa, 7p/Edmonton @ Vancouver, 10p
January 28
Montréal @ Ottawa, 7p/Philadelphia @ Winnipeg, 7p/Chicago @ Edmonton, 10p
Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts
January 3 Seattle @ Edmonton, 9p
January 5 Colorado @ Vancouver, 10p
January 9 Seattle @ Montréal, 7:30p/Nashville @ Ottawa, 7:30p
January 10 Vancouver @ Pittsburgh, 7p
January 11 Nashville @ Toronto, 7p/Edmonton @ Anaheim, 10p
January 13 Winnipeg @ Pittsburgh, 7p
January 14 Calgary @ Dallas, 2p
January 16 Ottawa @ St. Louis, 8p/Calgary @ Nashville, 8p
January 18 Pittsburgh @ Ottawa, 7p/Colorado @ Calgary, 9:30p
January 23 NY Islanders @ Toronto, 7p/Columbus @ Calgary, 9:30p
January 25 NY Rangers @ Toronto, 7p/NY Islanders @ Ottawa, 7p/Columbus @ Edmonton, 9:30p
January 27 Ottawa @ Toronto, 7p (Hockey Night in Canada Special)/Calgary @ Seattle, 10p
January 30 St. Louis @ Winnipeg, 8p
February 1 Boston @ Toronto, 7:30p
Dreams do come true. 👀@FriedgeHNIC reports that the Heritage Classic is returning to Edmonton next year for the Battle of Alberta at Commonwealth Stadium. pic.twitter.com/6FwIV2LM4T
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 11, 2022
While not official, Elliotte Friedman reported that the 2023 Heritage Classic will be the Battle of Alberta from Commonwealth Stadium. Friedman said the game would likely be in October.
Lake Louise seemed more ideal but the logistics were more difficult. Commonwealth Stadium was the site of the original Heritage Classic in 2003.
The potential October date means the game won't be that cold, the NHL will continue its lackluster promotion (compared to the U.S. outdoor games), and this will affect the CFL Edmonton Elks. The 2023 CFL schedule has the Elks final home game is October 14 with a road game in Winnipeg and a bye to finish the season.
This means one of the U.S. networks will be required to carry the Battle of Alberta.
Maybe Montréal can get an outdoor NHL game when Gary Bettman is no longer the NHL commissioner.
Canadian ads from fall 2022 NHL Center Ice free preview
NHL the month in preview December 2022
The Ottawa Senators were supposed to go into the holiday break with a home game against Detroit on December 23. The winter storm made that non viable so the game was postponed until February 27.
After last year's COVID-19 postponements, having a game postponed because of weather feels a lot more normal.
NHL the month in preview November 2022
NHL the month in preview October 2022
Monday Night Hockey is the replacement for Hometown Hockey. David Amber shifted from the late Saturday Hockey Night in Canada slot to host the Monday segments. Cassie Campbell-Pascall and Anson Carter are consistently on the panel with a random fourth person.
Hope Carter is enjoying those Atlanta-Toronto flights. They may get rougher as winter truly rolls into Canada. Carter gets to show off his hockey insights in a better format than the TNT studio show. Campbell-Pascall feels at home in this format. She is working as an analyst for ESPN games. Greg Millen took over as the fill-in for Kelly Hrudey on Calgary Flames telecasts with Rick Ball.
The studio setup is very above average but not sure what the draw is otherwise. Maybe that is the draw. The studio crew is better than the Wednesday night games.
Happy Holidays 2022 includes Season 11 of Letterkenny
Carey Price will likely not play in the NHL for the Montréal Canadiens or any other team. We briefly touched on Carey Price and the whole hunting and guns issue last week. His heart seemed in the right place.
Feel free to read more for yourself.
2022 NHL preseason schedule
Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage
Tracking the NHL 2022 media changes
December 1 Edmonton @ Minnesota, 8p Bob Wischusen/Brian Boucher/Leah Hextall ESPN+/Hulu
December 6 Toronto @ Dallas, 8:30p Bob Wischusen/Ray Ferraro/Emily Kaplan ESPN+/Hulu
December 14 Vancouver @ Calgary, 10p Brendan Burke/Darren Pang/Jennifer Botterill TNT
December 18 Ottawa @ Minnesota, 2p Jamie Hersch/Dave Reid NHL Network
December 21 Edmonton @ Dallas, 9:30p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olczyk/Keith Jones TNT
December 28 Calgary @ Seattle, 10p John Forslund/Darren Pang/Kathryn Tappen TNT
December 30 Edmonton @ Seattle, 10p Leah Hextall/Ray Ferraro ESPN+/Hulu
We note that schedules are subject to change. TNT switched out its previous game on December 28 and brought in the Calgary Flames in Seattle. A good point to check back with the blog for updates, good or bad.
John Forslund is the local Seattle announcer, continuing a TNT pattern with Canadian teams. Kathryn Tappen normally works for NBC.
The December 6 game took a while to show up on the ESPN+ menu. Odd to look for the exclusive game and that game isn't even on the ESPN+ NHL page. Hulu might have had it but the games only show up on my computer, not the TV path.
The all-Canadian matchup on December 14 was our first look at the backup TNT team this season. Burke does a fine, credible job. Pang and Botterill make the team what it is. Having Botterill helps because she covers the Canadian teams on Hockey Night in Canada. Good to see her get plenty of work on both sides of the border.
Jamie Hersch did a good job in the NHL Network showcase game (18). The Senators didn't do as well.
ESPN+/Hulu gave a nice gift at the end of the calendar year with an all-Canadian crew with the Oilers in Seattle.
CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage
Rogers Sportsnet had already decided to take the December 3 Maple Leafs game for itself, not knowing Mitch Marner would set the all-time Toronto record for most consecutive games with a point at 19. Marner finished his streak at an impressive 23 games.
As we predicted, the Habs-Oilers game in Edmonton was way more exciting with a lot of power play goals and lead changes.
.@NHLNetwork went from one of best @NHL crews to the worst crew to chase #AlexOvechkin. Saved its audience time because they weren't going to sit through what was on the screen. Ovi didn't even get the goal.
— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) December 18, 2022
The December 17 CBC promos would have been American holiday specials, Canadian shows coming in January, and their news and sports outlets. There were 3 potential Hockey Night in Canada games available. The December 3 game had Rogers Sportsnet playing the Grinch while the December 10 game on the NHL Network aired on Citytv. NHL Network switched out the HNIC feed for the December 17 game for less than logical reasons.
ESPN+ did offer both feeds, something they don't normally do for a NHL Network game.
The NHL Network continued its obsessive Alex Ovechkin chase, showing the NBC Sports Washington feed for a Ottawa home game and Winnipeg road game in subsequent days.
You can check out our CBC television winter preview to see what some of those promos could have been. Hopefully, January will mean some CBC promos.
photo credit: NHL
Twitter captures: @Sportsnet; @canadian_xing
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