Canadian Crossing

NHL Network, TNT, and ESPN/ESPN+ games in 2024 season analysis

Year 3 of the new TV contract saw some odd patterns with NHL games involving Canadian teams on television and streaming.

ESPN still ran away more road games involving Canadian teams and was obsessed with only Toronto and Edmonton for most of the season.

TNT was virtually invisible through February where Canadian teams were involved. Its TBS coverage of the 2023 Heritage Classic was an embarrassment.

ESPN+/Hulu decided to experiment with a Hockey Night in Canada game late in the season. The slim portfolio of Hulu subscribers who don't have ESPN+ can't be enough to justify entering such sacred ground.

Once again, the pattern late in the season was to have the ABC/ESPN family carry games on Saturday night, kicking out Hockey Night in Canada games from the NHL Network.

The NHL Network carried 3 Ottawa games within 8 days in late January, a team invisible on TNT or any ESPN outlet.

The numbers went up a bit thanks to 2 Toronto games and 2 Ottawa games in Stockholm, Sweden in November.

The NHL Network had a light footprint late in the season but completely shut down Canadian teams in April thanks to the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship in Utica, New York.

October 14
Chicago @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
October 15
Tampa Bay @ Ottawa, 7p
October 21
Toronto @ Tampa Bay, 7p (HNIC)
October 23
Montréal @ Buffalo, 7p
October 28
Toronto @ Nashville, 7p (HNIC)

November 4
Nashville @ Edmonton, 3p (Showcase)
Buffalo @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
November 6
Tampa Bay @ Toronto, 7p
November 11
Boston @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
November 16
Detroit @ Ottawa, 1p (Sweden)
November 17
Toronto @ Detroit, 2p (Sweden)
Buffalo @ Winnipeg, 8p
November 18
Minnesota @ Ottawa, 11a (Sweden)
NY Islanders @ Calgary, 7p (HNIC)
November 19
Toronto @ Minnesota, 8a (Sweden)
November 25
Toronto @ Pittsburgh, 7p (HNIC)

December 2
Boston @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
December 5
New Jersey @ Vancouver, 10p
December 9
Nashville @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
December 16
Vancouver @ Minnesota, 2p (Showcase)
December 17
Vancouver @ Chicago, 3p (Showcase)
December 23
Pittsburgh @ Ottawa, 7p (HNIC)
December 30
Carolina @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)

January 6
Calgary @ Philadelphia, 1p (Showcase)
NY Rangers @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
January 13
Colorado @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
January 20
Montréal @ Boston, 7p (HNIC)
January 21
Ottawa @ Philadelphia, 1p (Showcase)
January 27
NY Rangers @ Ottawa, 7p (HNIC)
January 29
Nashville @ Ottawa, 7p

February 10
Edmonton @ Los Angeles, 10p (HNIC)
February 19
Ottawa @ Tampa Bay, 7p
February 24
Toronto @ Colorado, 7p (HNIC)

March 2
Winnipeg @ Carolina, 12:30p (Showcase)
March 3
Winnipeg @ Buffalo, 7p
March 9
Toronto @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
March 18
Washington @ Calgary, 8:30p
March 24
Winnipeg @ Washington, 12:30p (Showcase)

 

Team	Overall	HNIC	Showcase
Toronto	13	10	0
Montréal	6	5	0
Ottawa	8	2	1
Winnipeg	4	0	2
Calgary	3	1	1
Vancouver	3	0	2
Edmonton	2	1	1

NHL Network, TNT, and ESPN/ESPN+ games in 2023 season analysis

NHL Network, TNT, and ESPN/ESPN+ games in 2022 season analysis

NHL Network, NBCSN, and ESPN+ games in 2021 season analysis

ESPN went a little bit forward while TNT went backward in the 2023-2024 schedule. TNT fell from 16 games to 12 games, excluding the required telecast of the 2023 Heritage Classic, which was buried on TBS.

Edmonton dominated the TNT lineup with 7 indoor appearances. There were more late games on the schedule. TNT showed 5 Edmonton home games at Rogers Place.

8 of the 12 regular games on TNT were on Canadian soil, a lesson for ESPN. There were as many games (5) before March 1 as there were in March.

Calgary had 3 games in the 2022-2023 season while the Flames only had the Heritage Classic. TNT isn't afraid to cover playoff team Vancouver yet hasn't carried a regular season game involving playoff team Winnipeg. ESPN has carried the Jets once though as a joke.

The Toronto love came in the calendar year of 2024 with a home game and road game in March and a very late add for a road game in April.

The Calgary Flames went from 3 TNT telecasts last season to just the Heritage Classic.

Vancouver had 2 home games about 4½ months apart. Ottawa didn't even have a token appearance.

Montréal and Winnipeg were not scheduled and did not appear on TNT. The Winnipeg Jets are the only Canadian team not to appear on TNT in the first 3 seasons.

October 29 Calgary @ Edmonton, 7p (2023 Heritage Classic)
November 15 NY Islanders @ Vancouver, 10p
December 6 Carolina @ Edmonton, 9:30p
February 21 Boston @ Edmonton, 10p
February 28 St. Louis @ Edmonton, 8:30p
March 6 Buffalo @ Toronto, 7p
March 10 Edmonton @ Pittsburgh, 1p (Sunday)
March 13 Washington @ Edmonton, 10p
March 20 Toronto @ Washington, 7:30p
March 31 Anaheim @ Vancouver, 3:30p (Sunday)
April 3 Edmonton @ Dallas, 9:30p
April 10 Las Vegas @ Edmonton, 8:30p
April 17 Toronto @ Tampa Bay, 7p

NHL Network, NBCSN, and ESPN+ games in 2019-2020 season analysis

NHL Network, NBCSN, and ESPN+ games in 2018-2019 season analysis

NHL Network and NBCSN games in 2017-2018 season analysis

NHL Network games in 2016-2017 season analysis

NHL Network games in 2015-2016 season analysis

The ESPN group embraced Edmonton and Toronto slightly more, including more games on Canadian soil. Not a lot of them but more. The drawback was that the other 5 Canadian teams couldn't get on ESPN or ESPN+/Hulu (until a token ESPN+/Hulu appearance in the final week).

3 home games on Canadian soil, 2 of them in Toronto, a city where the networks have been reluctant to go visit (until a token ESPN+/Hulu appearance in the final week).

There was the lone ABC game: Edmonton on the road in a start that got bounced.

ESPN will cover Canadian teams in the NHL playoffs. Teams they think they know (Winnipeg, Vancouver) without carrying them once on the schedule. Arrogance and ignorance don't make good partners in postseason coverage.

ESPN+/Hulu experiment that worked: The Edmonton Oilers 3-game road trip in the greater New York City area wasn't as horrible as feared. Having Ray Ferraro in all 3 games helped a lot. Getting a sense of a team over 3 games is a grand experiment.

ESPN+/Hulu experiment that didn't work: I normally don't care if ESPN+/Hulu takes over a game, except when Saturday night is involved. Don't take a Hockey Night in Canada game, especially when the NHL Network can't carry a game opposite of that. It's like wearing muddy shoes in someone's home or kicking their cat (don't kick cats).

The 23 games is a sharp increase from 14 games (2022-2023) and 8 games (2021-2022).

This irrational fear of doing a game on Canadian soil still prevails: Ray Ferraro, Leah Hextall, and Cassie Campbell-Pascall would welcome you to Canada.

Calgary and Vancouver get a token appearance in the final week of the season. This is the first Vancouver home game on the ESPN family in the 3 years (so far) of the contract. Vancouver had an ironic appearance in year 1 for the Seattle Kraken first ever home game. Needless to say, this is the first all-Canadian matchup that ESPN has covered in the modern contract.

Montréal and Winnipeg were shut out again. Ottawa still has not been on ESPN or ESPN+/Hulu.

ABC schedule
February 17 Edmonton @ Dallas, 3p

ESPN schedule
October 24 Toronto @ Washington, 6p
October 31 Los Angeles @ Toronto, 8p
December 12 Chicago @ Edmonton, 10p
January 11 Toronto @ NY Islanders, 7p
February 19 Toronto @ St. Louis, 1p
April 16 Toronto @ Florida, 7:30p
April 18 Edmonton @ Colorado, 9:30p

ESPN+/Hulu schedule
October 19 Edmonton @ Philadelphia, 7:30p
November 2 Toronto @ Boston, 7:30p
November 9 Edmonton @ San Jose, 10:30p
December 19 Edmonton @ NY Islanders, 7:30p
December 21 Edmonton @ New Jersey, 7:30p
December 22 Edmonton @ NY Rangers, 7:30p
January 2 Toronto @ Los Angeles, 10:30p
January 9 Edmonton @ Chicago, 8:30p
February 6 Edmonton @ Las Vegas, 10p
March 14 Toronto @ Philadelphia, 7:30p
March 24 Toronto @ Carolina, 6p
March 26 New Jersey @ Toronto, 7:30p
March 30 Toronto @ Buffalo, 7p (HNIC)
April 1 Edmonton @ St. Louis, 9p
April 16 Calgary @ Vancouver, 10p

ESPN and ESPN+ need to have more games and a majority on Canadian soil in the 2023-2024 season to try and make up for the first 3 years. No one is holding their breath.

Tracking the NHL 2023 media changes

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

 

Team	Overall	TNT	ABC	ESPN	ESPN+
Edmonton	19	8	1	2	8
Toronto	14	3	0	5	6
Vancouver	3	2	0	0	1
Calgary	2	1	0	0	1
Ottawa	0	0	0	0	0
Winnipeg	0	0	0	0	0
Montréal	0	0	0	0	0

photo credits: NHL Network; TNT; ESPN

NHL notebook: Wrapping up the end of the 2024 regular season

Editor's note: Today is the last day of the regular season for the western Canadian teams. The eastern Canadian teams finished their regular season. We are including April tidbits from what we normally have in a "month in preview." Playoffs start Saturday and we will have an extensive preview.

And the winner of Kraft Hockeyville 2024 is....

Elliot Lake, Ontario!! 🎉@hockeyville | #KraftHockeyville pic.twitter.com/4u3fCCaPU7

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 31, 2024

Kraft Hockeyville was out east for 3 straight seasons from 2020-2022 in Twillingate, NL; Elsipogtog First Nation, NB; and Sydney, NS. Last year, the winner was in Ontario in West Lorne. Now for the second year in a row, Ontario has another winner in Elliot Lake.

While West Lorne was in the southwestern part of the province. Elliot Lake is between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury in northern Ontario.

The northern Ontario community beat out Cochrane, AB; Enderby, BC; and Wolseley, SK. Elliot Lake gets $250,000 in arena upgrades and a NHL preseason game. The finalists get $25,000 in arena upgrades. All 4 communities also receive $10,000 worth of youth hockey equipment.

Rogers Sportsnet usually carries that NHL preseason game, though not the 2020 and 2021 winners. Figure that Toronto and/or Ottawa will be involved.

NHL the month in preview April 2024

NHL the month in preview March 2024

The Montréal Canadiens in the last 9 years missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and now 2024. The Habs wouldn't normally have qualified in 2020. The only playoff win outside of 2021 was a 3-1 round over Pittsburgh in the "qualifying round" in 2020.

The Ottawa Senators could point to getting into overtime in Game 7 against Pittsburgh in the conference finals in 2017. Otherwise, the trend has been dismal. The Sens missed the playoffs in 2016 and 2018-2024.

The Canadiens did beat Ottawa 4-2 in the first round in 2015 before losing in the second round to Tampa Bay.

Half the teams don't make the NHL playoffs each season. The fact that Montréal and Ottawa are soooo far out of the playoffs push is a growing concern in eastern Canada. They aren't even a part of the Stanley Cup playoffs conversation.

Ottawa is 9-0 in the last 9 games against Montréal. The Habs last win against the Senators came on March 19, 2022.

The Senators will look in the off-season for a new coach to replace the interim Jacques Martin when Ottawa fired D.J. Smith.

The Calgary Flames haven't fared well going back to the 2004-2005 lockout. The Flames had 4 straight one-and-done playoffs followed by missing the playoffs for 5 years in a row.

Calgary missed the playoffs in 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023, and now 2024. The team lost in the first round in 2017 and 2019. The Flames beat Vancouver in 2015 before leaving after the second round; the qualifying round against Winnipeg in 2020 before losing in the first round; and defeating Dallas in 2022 before losing to Edmonton.

Community Disappointed With Loss of Newfoundland Growlers https://t.co/mTfz333HxS pic.twitter.com/S45Axlu5GG

— VOCM News (@VOCMNEWS) April 3, 2024

The Newfoundland Growlers of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) have been removed from the league for violations "under the ECHL Bylaws."

Deacon Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Growlers and the Trois Rivières Lions, had run into being behind on payments to arenas: what was then the Mile One Centre in St. John's and currently owes the city of Trois Rivières close to $1 million over their use of the Colisée Vidéotron.

The league kept the Trois Rivières Lions but not the Newfoundland Growlers. The Trois Rivières Lions will be sold to a new owner.

The ECHL has removed 3 teams from Canada: Victoria Salmon Kings (2004-2011), Brampton Beast (2014-2020), and now the Newfoundland Growlers (2018-2024). The team was the only professional team on The Rock, meaning Newfoundland. A huge loss for the community.

All 6 remaining Growlers games are cancelled, 3 of them against the Lions.

The Growlers were an ECHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs while the Lions are affiliates of the Montréal Canadiens.

Newfoundland has lost 3 other teams in the past: The American Hockey League (AHL) Maple Leafs left St. John's for Toronto in 2005, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Fog Devils moved to the Montréal area in 2008, and the AHL's Ice Caps left for Laval, Quebec in 2017.

There were logistics issues with having a team in Newfoundland. Still, St. John's can easily support minor league hockey and deserves a team of some kind.

The @NHL #GaryBettman pattern of markets that can't support hockey has been a colossal failure. #SaltLakeCity is slightly better but 5-10 markets would be better, most of them #Canadian. https://t.co/jJ8vzI9JCu https://t.co/iAegJdUVO8

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) April 10, 2024

Fair would be that the NHL would give a team to a deserving market. If they were children, Quebec City would be the best mother. The NHL under Gary Bettman hasn't been fair for 3 decades now.

Salt Lake City has cut in line in a lot of people's minds in terms of possibly landing the Arizona Coyotes. The Utah capital is slightly better than Phoenix. The Arizona TV numbers have been terrible, much less people coming out to support the team.

Denver deserved a team though not the Nordiques. Winnipeg deserved to keep its Jets back in the 1990s.

There are U.S. markets that also get ignored. We think Milwaukee would be a great NHL market. We also think Quebec City, Hamilton, and Saskatoon would be great NHL markets.

The idea that the Phoenix area could get a second team shows how low the NHL has sunk.

Rogers Sportsnet ran this SCTV commercial parody as part of its tribute to the late Joe Flaherty, who recently passed away at the age of 82. They are parodying Guy Lafleur (left) and Darryl Sittler (right, with the late John Candy).

Flaherty was great in funny roles such as Floyd Robertson (a parody of actual CBC and CTV news anchor Lloyd Robertson). Flaherty was also very good at playing the straight man, such as Flaherty and Candy in Goin' Berserk.

This is a good time to remind ourselves that Martin Scorsese hasn't finished the SCTV reunion footage that will someday air on Netflix. The special was filmed in 2018.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

Billy Idol released Rebel Yell 40 years ago and is doing a Canadian tour starting in late July. Rogers Sportsnet occasionally features a non-Canadian music presence for the show's open. Kind of lame but that isn't the funny part.

Turns out Idol was in Los Angeles for the late game with Vancouver in town, wearing a LA Kings sweater and beating a drum. Dan Murphy got the honour of interviewing Idol to further promote Idol's upcoming Canadian tour. We found out this was Idol's first NHL game in person.

I get that Rogers Sportsnet "needs" money with the boondoggle of a 12-year contract signed to carry NHL games (expires in 2026). There is speculation of Sportsnet selling off rights to the Monday night games, including playoff games, to Amazon.

The original Sunday night package revolved around Hometown Hockey. That shifted to Monday nights and then Rogers dumped Hometown Hockey. Even as we will cut back on our NHL coverage starting this fall, we would still cover what will happen, including streaming, in the next NHL TV deal in Canada.

John Garrett retirement opens the door of opportunity for Vancouver Canucks TV colour analysis

John Garrett had a rather light load in his reduced role with Rogers Sportsnet. More trips to Winnipeg than I would have guessed. Garrett sounded like he was having fun on a reduced schedule. Not always talking ketchup with John Shorthouse, but still providing analysis.

Dave Tomlinson did a good job in Year One from what we heard. Having the presence of Ray Ferraro doesn't make establishing a foothold too easy to do. Give the chemistry time to work out.

Tracking the NHL 2023 media changes

April 1 Edmonton @ St. Louis, 9p Bob Wischusen/Ryan Callahan ESPN+/Hulu
April 3 Edmonton @ Dallas, 9:30p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olzcyk/Brian Boucher TNT
April 10 Las Vegas @ Edmonton, 8:30p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olzcyk/Jackie Redmond TNT
April 16 Toronto @ Florida, 7:30p Bob Wischusen/Ray Ferraro/Emily Kaplan ESPN
April 16 Calgary @ Vancouver, 10p Roxy Bernstein/Cassie Campbell-Pascall ESPN+/Hulu
April 17 Toronto @ Tampa Bay, 7p Alex Faust/Darren Pang/Jennifer Botterill TNT
April 18 Edmonton @ Colorado, 9:30p Steve Levy/Ray Ferraro/Emily Kaplan ESPN

TNT had IMHO the best announcer lineup of any Canadian team NHL game this season in the final telecast. Alex Faust likes Canada, Darren Pang has so much insight, and Jennifer Botterill is Canadian and follows those teams.

We like the chemistry and consistency of Kenny Albert and Eddie Olzcyk, especially without Brian Boucher. So the April 10 game in Edmonton was a nice surprise with the 2 of them plus the cool Jackie Redmond.

Albert and Olczyk remind us of the Maharelle Sisters (from Saturday Night Live): the normal sisters Janet, Holly, and Nora. Then Boucher comes along to speak and reminds us of Dooneese (Kristen Wiig), the awkward sister.

Calgary finally got its first appearance on an U.S. outlet since the 2023 Heritage Classic in the penultimate game of the season. Glad ESPN put Cassie Campbell-Pascall on that game.

Our friends in Windsor, Canada got a chance to see their Detroit Red Wings final 3 games of the season. As we have noted in the past, Windsor doesn't get the local cable channel and its residents get shut out of a lot of local sports, especially hockey. Bally Sports Detroit simulcast the final 3 Red Wings games on WYMD-TV Channel 20 in Detroit. This was the same feed that those on the north side of the Detroit River could get through cable.

One of those 3 games was Hockey Night in Canada with Detroit in Toronto. Viewers have 2 on-air choices between Channel 20 and the CBC station in Windsor, CBET-TV Channel 9.

A couple of notable NHL local TV retirements on the U.S. side: Jeff Rimer (Canadian) in Columbus and this week, we learned about Jack Edwards in Boston. Speculation in Boston could be Alex Faust, former Bruins radio guy Dave Goucher (Las Vegas), and via YYZ Sports Media, John Forslund (Seattle), who used to work in Hartford.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

This is where we would have the CBC promos for the end of the season. The NHL Network last showed a CBC feed on March 9.

photo credit: NHL
Twitter captures: @Sportsnet; @VOCMNEWS; @canadian_xing
video credits: TSN; 4thlineVoice; CanucksBo

NHL the month in preview April 2024

TNT has 2 more Edmonton games. A late addition has the Oilers in Dallas (3) and the originally scheduled home game, a place where ESPN in any form is afraid to travel (mostly). Unfortunately, the opponent is Gary Bettman's golden team (10) and a possible first-round opponent.

After taking a month off, ESPN finishes in the final week of the season with its usual formula: Toronto on the road in Sunrise (16) and Edmonton on the road in Denver (18). ESPN has to carry some games on Canadian soil in the playoffs, required in the contract.

The NHL Network is distracted by the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship in Utica, New York. There are a couple of games late in the season, neither featuring Canadian teams. If there are additional telecasts from any U.S. outlet, we will update this file.

ESPN+/Hulu added 2 games late to the schedule. The Oilers are again on the road, this time in St. Louis (1). We don't consider adds in the last week to be compelling, especially on ESPN+/Hulu, but the U.S. outlet is carrying its first ever all-Canadian game in the modern contract: Calgary at Vancouver (16). Vancouver hasn't been seen since a token appearance on the Seattle Kraken first ever home game. Calgary had 2 appearances last year but not before or since.

April 18 marks the end of the regular season. We might have a NHL Center Ice free preview during the last few days. Maybe. We did a down the stretch blog post last season but aren't going to do one this year. Stanley Cup playoffs start April 20. Yes, that quick a turnaround.

A reminder for our U.S. readers that games not on a major channel or the NHL Network are available on ESPN+.

TNT

April 3
Edmonton @ Dallas, 9:30p
April 10
Las Vegas @ Edmonton, 8:30p
April 17
Toronto @ Tampa Bay, 7p

ESPN

April 16
Toronto @ Florida, 7:30p
April 18
Edmonton @ Colorado, 9:30p

ESPN+/Hulu

April 1
Edmonton @ St. Louis, 9p
April 16
Calgary @ Vancouver, 10p

Hockey Night in Canada

April 6

Toronto @ Montréal, 7p/New Jersey @ Ottawa, 7p
Edmonton @ Calgary, 10p/Vancouver @ Los Angeles, 10p

April 13

Detroit @ Toronto, 7p/Montréal @ Ottawa, 7p
Vancouver @ Edmonton, 10p

Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts

April 1 Florida @ Toronto, 7p

April 3 Tampa Bay @ Toronto, 7p/Edmonton @ Dallas, 9p

April 8 Pittsburgh @ Toronto, 7p/Las Vegas @ Vancouver, 10p

April 10 Las Vegas @ Edmonton, 8:30p

April 12 Calgary @ Anaheim, 10p

April 14 Arizona @ Calgary, 8p

April 15 Montréal @ Detroit, 7p/San Jose @ Edmonton, 9:30p

April 17 Toronto @ Tampa Bay, 7p/Edmonton @ Arizona, 10p

April 18 Edmonton @ Colorado, 9:30p

We talked last month about the selfish attitude of Noah Hanifan, who didn't want to be traded to a Canadian team since he wanted to sign with an American-based team. Yes, Hanifan was honest but limiting where he could go meant the Calgary Flames didn't get as much back for him as the team needed or deserved.

If Hanifan is Goofus, Tyler Toffoli is Gallant. Toffoli got traded from New Jersey to Winnipeg at the trade deadline.

"We're looking forward to it," Toffoli said of he and his wife, Cat Belanger. "We're going to another Canadian city. There's nothing better than playing in a Canadian market. It's a weird feeling but at the same time, we're excited. Winnipeg, the fans are very passionate. I'm excited to go there and keep pushing for the playoffs and try and make a run there.”

Toffoli has previously played in Vancouver, Calgary, and Montréal. He also played in Los Angeles and New Jersey.

The circumstances have changed for a lot of NHL players where they don't want to play in Canada, especially Winnipeg. This makes succeeding in Canada a lot more difficult. Here's hoping Toffoli's new team finds a way to eliminate teams, such as Hanifan's new team, in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

NHL the month in preview March 2024

NHL the month in preview February 2024

NHL the month in preview January 2024

The optics of what Morgan Rielly did against Ottawa weren't good. A 5-game suspension was beyond ridiculous. Especially with what New York Rangers tough guy Matt Rempe did with a running start, leaving his feet, and aiming for the head of new Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.

Unlike what Rielly did, Lyubushkin had to leave the game for concussion protocol after the vicious hit. No penalty, no fine, no suspension.

Rempe did eventually get 5 minutes for elbowing and a game misconduct for a similar move against a player on a non-Canadian team. Rempe got a 4-game suspension, a lighter sentence than Rielly.

In the spirit of fairness, we should note that Tom Wilson finally got another suspension, amazingly on an infraction against a Toronto player. Wilson got 6 games for a vicious high stick against Toronto winger Noah Gregor. This was Wilson's 6th suspension but first since 2021. The punishment was 1 more game than what Rielly got. One.

What gets to be a fine or a suspension is highly random. Canadian teams rarely, if ever, benefit from such a situation. Mark Scheifele's (Winnipeg) cheap hit on Jake Evans (Montréal) in the 2021 playoffs was different because of the all-Canadian matchup. Scheifele's hit was worth 4 games in the playoffs.

The upcoming playoffs means the refs will likely target a Toronto Maple Leafs player in the playoffs, regardless of what the other team will do. Is that fair? Of course not. The NHL isn't interested in fair where Canadian teams are involved.

NHL the month in preview December 2023

NHL the month in preview November 2023

NHL the month in preview October 2023

The newest PWHL attendance mark won't happen until April 20 as the Bell Centre in Montréal will have a sellout crowd against Toronto. The 21,105 capacity was reportedly sold out within an hour.

The current (for now) PWHL attendance record is 19,285 with these 2 teams at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on February 16.

Covering the PWHL postseason is way more tempting than the NHL postseason. More fairness and a lot less violence in play. NHL playoff hockey should come with a V rating because of the excess violence that the referees refuse to acknowledge.

Tracking the NHL 2023 media changes

2023 NHL preseason schedule

"Yeah, that's Canada for you. I played there for a long time, so I kind of know how that game works. They've got a lot of things to talk about every day to [fill] a lot of air time, but they only have a few things to actually discuss."

Pittsburgh defenceman Erik Karlsson started his career in Ottawa. A lot of fans still miss what he did for the Senators. Karlsson responded to speculation about a return to Ottawa.

We know the Canadian sports media is a factor in some players' reluctance to play in Canada. On a parallel point, the lack of coverage in lesser NHL markets in the southern U.S. is somehow a positive point in playing in those markets.

One reason why Karlsson wouldn't like to return to Canada, and this has nothing to do with Canada itself, is the Matt Cooke skate incident in February 2013. Cooke, a troubled player with multiple nasty incidents, slammed his skate into Karlsson's Achilles tendon. The U.S. press jumped to his defence: not Karlsson but Cooke. The argument was across the board: Cooke was a dirty player, except for this. If Karlsson had played for San Jose or Pittsburgh, that argument would fly away. Because Karlsson played for Ottawa, one of the dirtiest players got strong defence from the U.S. hockey press.

The lack of compassion the U.S. press has for players for Canadian teams is horrific. Karlsson suffered a terrible injury on what looked like a deliberate act. Yet Karlsson got zero sympathy while the perpetrator got tons of sympathy. This was similar to when Zdeno Chara almost certainly slammed Max Pacioretty into a stanchion in 2011. Because Pacioretty wore a Habs sweater, the story turned into the "innocent" Chara.

Couldn't blame Pacioretty or Karlsson for ever wanting to play again for a Canadian NHL team. 

Toronto finally gets a NHL All-Star Game, the first since 2000

Success of a PWHL franchise in Ottawa could expedite a NHL arena in downtown Ottawa

Alex DeBrincat leaves the Ottawa Senators in part to search for a nearby Chipotle

Alpharetta Sports and Entertainment Group, led by Anson Carter, announced its formal request for NHL expansion to bring a franchise back to Atlanta pic.twitter.com/tAGG2PXMT5

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 12, 2024

We like Anson Carter. As good as he is on television, the idea of Anson Carter being a significant part of a NHL team is also great. Just not Atlanta.

The jokes write themselves. "Which Canadian city will benefit from a NHL relocation from Atlanta? Quebec City? Saskatoon? Hamilton? A second Toronto team?" For those who don't know NHL history, the Atlanta Flames moved to Calgary (1980) and the Atlanta Thrashers (2011) moved to Winnipeg.

Quebec City can't get a second chance. Saskatoon can't get a first chance. Somehow, Atlanta should get a third chance?

Dump-in OFF THE STANCHION goes straight into the net for David Savard 😱😭 pic.twitter.com/hrnaQwyI6N

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 6, 2024

Gord Miller and Mike Johnson worked an Ottawa Senators game on TSN5 as Jamie McLellan was in Calgary for Mikka Kiprusoff's number retirement. Miller and Johnson continued their travels and covered a Montréal Canadiens game on TSN2. Can't recall Miller doing a Habs game for TSN, at least not recently. They got to have fun with this extremely unique David Savard goal for the Canadiens.

Miller and Johnson flew back from Boston and made their way to TSN TradeCentre. If TSN had the Sportsnet starting time (10 am), they would have had a chance at a cup of coffee and a Tim Hortons sausage biscuit before getting to the desk. They got back as soon as they could but after the 8 am start time.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

March 2 Winnipeg @ Carolina, 12:30p E.J. Hradek/Kevin Weekes NHLN
March 6 Buffalo @ Toronto, 7p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olczyk/Brian Boucher TNT
March 10 Edmonton @ Pittsburgh, 1p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olczyk/Brian Boucher TNT
March 13 Washington @ Edmonton, 10p Brendan Burke/Shane Hnidy/Jackie Redmond TBD TNT
March 14 Toronto @ Philadelphia, 7:30p Steve Levy/Ryan Callahan ESPN+/Hulu
March 20 Toronto @ Washington, 7:30p Brendan Burke/Darren Pang/Tarik El-Bashir TNT
March 24 Winnipeg @ Washington, 12:30p E.J. Hradek/Bill Lindsay NHLN
March 24 Toronto @ Carolina, 6p Roxy Bernstein/Kevin Weekes ESPN+/Hulu
March 26 New Jersey @ Toronto, 7:30p Steve Levy/AJ Mleczko ESPN+/Hulu
March 30 Toronto @ Buffalo, 7p (HNIC) Bob Wischusen/AJ Mleczko ESPN+/Hulu
March 31 Anaheim @ Vancouver, 3:30p Kenny Albert/Eddie Olczyk/Brian Boucher TNT

TNT viewers were spared from Brian Boucher on Canadian teams through February, outside of studio visits during the Heritage Classic and February 28. Easier to avoid Boucher in the studio setting by fast forwarding through the studio coverage. Boucher is less likely to repeat himself or use cliches in the studio.

Unfortunately, Boucher finally made the TNT coverage with Canadian teams in March. The U.S. audience caught a break on March 20 where the backup crew was in the U.S. capital.

Tarik El-Bashir covers the Washington Capitals. This isn't a big deal since TNT treats its reporters way different than their third announcers.

The U.S. national networks carried 4 Washington games within 12 days playing Canadian teams (Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and Winnipeg)

We talk about Rogers Sportsnet stealing a Maple Leafs game from the CBC audience. Well, ESPN+/Hulu stole a Maple Leafs game from a potential NHL Network telecast on a Saturday night 2 nights ago. The ESPN+/Hulu telecasts don't really add anything since the ESPN+ local feeds are always better. Always. The idea is that you are so tuned into Auston Matthews, et al, so you will watch their game. You could pick the all-Canadian matchup of the Ottawa Senators in Winnipeg or the Habs at home hosting the former Hartford Whalers.

The ESPN games mean they are on cable TV and you can tape those games and watch them tape-delayed. A slightly better value. Just stay away from the Hockey Night in Canada games.

Ideally, @NHLNetwork would have and U.S. audience would see @EdmontonOilers and @MapleLeafs on #HNIC. Unfortunately, U.S. audience can't handle 2 @NHL games at the same time. So #ESPN+ is the only option.

— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) March 23, 2024

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

The ABC/ESPN people took over most Saturday nights. The NHL Network is prohibited from going head to head with U.S. national games. The U.S. outlet didn't pick up any late games in March, so we only had the Toronto-Montréal game on March 9.

The 2024 Junos were March 24 in Halifax on CBC.

While CBC picks the content of the promos, and carries non-Canadian shows on CBC Gem, we think promoting non-Canadian shows (Poker Face) is a poor way to use limited CBC promo time on HNIC.

For those new readers, Rogers Sportsnet is required to air 6 CBC promos during Hockey Night in Canada. Ideally, there should be 2 promos per period, within game action and not next to a commercial.

Rogers Sportsnet claimed exclusivity of the Toronto games on March 2 and March 16. We have noted this strategy before in previous seasons. This also means CBC and Citytv carried the same game those nights.

March 9 early game: CBC News app; 2024 Junos; The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down (1st); PWHL March 10 (2nd); 2024 Junos; Poker Face (3rd)

photo credit: NHL
Twitter captures: @BR_OpenIce; @GinoHard_; @canadian_xing

NHL the month in preview March 2024

TNT has been mostly MIA for Canadian teams in 2024. The U.S. network has shown 4 games involving Canadian teams this season (not counting its feeble 2023 Heritage Classic coverage), 2 of those games in the last 10 days. TNT will more than double that total in March with 5 games, 2 of them on Sundays.

The first 3 Wednesdays feature a Canadian team with Auston Matthews and Toronto welcoming their Great Lakes rival from Buffalo (6), Alex Ovechkin traveling to see his buddy Connor McDavid in Edmonton (13), and Matthews visiting Ovechkin in the U.S. capital (20). The Sunday visits have McDavid against Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh (10) and Vancouver and the 6-40-9 line hosting Anaheim (31).

The 2 Toronto games are the only ones on TNT for the whole season with Canadian teams that don't feature Edmonton and Vancouver. This excludes the Winnipeg Jets, a likely playoff team.

ESPN was so exhausted (sarcasm) with showing a game on ABC (Edmonton on the road) and ESPN (Toronto on the road) that they are taking a month off from Canadian teams.

ESPN+/Hulu added 2 Toronto Maple Leafs road games with trips to Philadelphia (14) and Carolina (24). ESPN+/Hulu originally had a couple of Edmonton Oilers road games in the east (Boston and Buffalo) early this month but shifted its schedule. The online service actually comes to Toronto for a rare Maple Leafs home game with New Jersey (26). The U.S. outlet dares to take over a Hockey Night in Canada game with the Maple Leafs on the road in Buffalo (30). Even the Sabres fans would switch over to CBLT, channel 5 in Toronto, unless Sportsnet grabs exclusivity that night.

Assuming ESPN+/Hulu keeps that matchup, the U.S. audience will get 2 Toronto-Buffalo games, one at each arena.

The NHL Network has a pair of Showcase games where the Winnipeg Jets remember their "southeast" roots with trips to Carolina (2) and Washington (24). At least the NHL Network will show the Jets.

The U.S. channel also has Winnipeg in Buffalo (3).

A number of conflicts with the ABC and ESPN collective family means only a single Hockey Night in Canada game in March. That would be Toronto in Montréal (9), the only all-Canadian matchup that the NHL Network isn't afraid to cover.

The U.S. channel will likely carry the Rogers Sportsnet feed on a Monday night as Alex Ovechkin and his team comes to Calgary (18).

The NHL Network is forced to blow off Connor McDavid versus Auston Matthews on March 23 so ABC can show a lame prime time game. The good game will be on ESPN+ that night. Really. The NHL in the U.S. has to get past the mentality of only having 1 game at a time on national TV.

A reminder for our U.S. readers that games not on a major channel or the NHL Network are available on ESPN+.

TNT

March 6
Buffalo @ Toronto, 7p
March 10
Edmonton @ Pittsburgh, 1p
March 13
Washington @ Edmonton, 10p
March 20
Toronto @ Washington, 7:30p
March 31
Anaheim @ Vancouver, 3:30p

NHL Network

March 2
Winnipeg @ Carolina, 12:30p (NHLN Showcase)
March 3
Winnipeg @ Buffalo, 7p
March 9
Toronto @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
March 18
Washington @ Calgary, 8:30p
March 24
Winnipeg @ Washington, 12:30p (NHLN Showcase)

ESPN+/Hulu

March 14
Toronto @ Philadelphia, 7:30p
March 24
Toronto @ Carolina, 6p
March 26
New Jersey @ Toronto, 7:30p
March 30
Toronto @ Buffalo, 7p (HNIC)

Hockey Night in Canada

March 2

NY Rangers @ Toronto, 7p/Montréal @ Tampa Bay, 7p/Ottawa @ Philadelphia, 7p
Pittsburgh @ Calgary, 10p

March 9

Toronto @ Montréal, 7p/Ottawa @ San Jose, 7p
Winnipeg @ Vancouver, 10p

March 16

Carolina @ Toronto, 7p/Montréal @ Calgary, 7p
Colorado @ Edmonton, 10p/Washington @ Vancouver, 10p

March 23

Edmonton @ Toronto, 7p/Ottawa @ New Jersey, 7p
Calgary @ Vancouver, 10p

March 30

Toronto @ Buffalo, 7p/Carolina @ Montréal, 7p/Ottawa @ Winnipeg, 7p
Los Angeles @ Calgary, 10p

Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts

March 2 Edmonton @ Seattle, 4p

March 3 Pittsburgh @ Edmonton, 9p

March 4 Boston @ Toronto, 7p/Seattle @ Calgary, 9:30p

March 5 Edmonton @ Boston, 7:30p

March 6 Buffalo @ Toronto, 7p

March 7 Calgary @ Tampa Bay, 7p

March 9 Edmonton @ Buffalo, 12:30p/Calgary @ Florida, 4p

March 10 Edmonton @ Pittsburgh, 1p/Calgary @ Carolina, 5p

March 11 Washington @ Winnipeg, 7:30p

March 13 Nashville @ Winnipeg, 7:30p/Washington @ Edmonton, 10p

March 18 Washington @ Calgary, 8:30p

March 20 Toronto @ Washington, 7:30p

March 24 Buffalo @ Calgary, 9p

March 25 Los Angeles @ Vancouver, 9p

March 26 Calgary @ Chicago, 8:30p

March 27 Ottawa @ Buffalo, 7p

March 28 Los Angeles @ Edmonton, 9p

March 30 Anaheim @ Edmonton, 4p

March 31 Anaheim @ Vancouver, 3:30p

We don't expect changes in coverage on either side of the border for the NHL trade deadline on March 8. Rogers Sportsnet (10 am Eastern) and TSN (8 am Eastern) have their own efforts. The NHL Network simulcasts the Sportsnet feed until they have their own coverage (2 pm Eastern). ESPN+ carries the TSN coverage until ESPN2 takes over until the 3 pm Eastern deadline.

The U.S. strategy of late is to allow Canadian content during the boring parts and shut down the really good coverage when things get heated. ESPN and the NHL Network are not nearly as good at tracking last-minute deals as Sportsnet and TSN.

The Canadian teams are often at a disadvantage at the trade deadline. The Noah Hanifin (Calgary Flames) rumours are a classic example. Only U.S. teams have a chance to acquire the defenseman at the trade deadline. This is a disadvantage to the team trading Hanifin and those teams who could use him (Toronto).

We see Canadian teams trade a superstar and the U.S. team almost immediately signs that player to an extension. Canadian teams aren't doing that in reverse.

NHL the month in preview February 2024

We are in the middle of a NHL Center Ice free preview through March 3. They are random and we can't explain the pattern. Good for the U.S. viewers since there are no Hockey Night in Canada games on U.S. television this weekend.

NHL the month in preview January 2024

NHL the month in preview December 2023

The recently cancelled W5 on CTV was called that because journalism is made up of the 5 Ws: who, what, where, when and why (with an appearance by how) of a story. We know the Winnipeg Jets are concerned about their shrinking attendance and specifically, season ticket holders.

Winnipeg Jets chairman Mark Chipman wants to get the season ticket holder total back to 13,000, about where it was 3 years ago. The total is down to under 9,500. Winnipeg has averaged 13,098 in its 15,225 hockey capacity.

What gets lost in the official journalism is Why. Why are fans not coming out as strong for the Jets, as opposed to other Canadian teams? The fan experience is listed in the comments. High prices for things other than the tickets. Too high of a price for upper deck tickets. No one comes out and says a lack of corporate support but that is an issue. Jets ownership not being responsive to fans' needs is on the yellow legal pad.

Some comments whispered parking troubles and a reluctance to come to downtown Winnipeg. Those whispers usually come from people who never go to the downtown in question and throw stones from far away. The old arena and CFL football stadium were in the Polo Park area of the city, southwest of downtown.

Gary Bettman has 2 levels of logic, depending on where the team is located. Bettman was eager to evacuate the NHL out of Winnipeg and Quebec City in the 1990s on a whim while keeping U.S. franchises such as Arizona and Florida with more lifelines than they can handle. 

The whispers out of Quebec City is that the city doesn't have enough corporate money to buy up skyboxes. Phoenix does but that isn't enough when they can't sell out a 4,600 seat arena in Tempe, AZ. 

You get the idea that season tickets are more important to Winnipeg Jets management than overall attendance. They should fight both fires. A family type discount on food, drinks, and parking should be encouraged. Perhaps federal legislation to get help to encourage more corporate money spent on sporting events.

Some of this concern is a post pandemic economy where fans want to afford to go to a Jets game and can't come up with the money. A Stanley Cup run can help. A Stanley Cup win would really help.

Toronto gets a NHL All-Star Game for the first time since 2000

Success of a PWHL franchise in Ottawa could expedite a NHL arena in downtown Ottawa

WOMEN’S HOCKEY HISTORY

19,285 FANS AT SCOTIABANK ARENA IN TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA

It’s the largest crowd ever for a professional women’s hockey game. pic.twitter.com/j3lDr1EGjs

— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) February 17, 2024

The Battle of Bay Street set a new PWHL attendance record at Scotiabank Arena for the Montréal game in Toronto. The new mark is 19,285 for a Toronto 3-0 win over Montréal.

The new mark surpassed the 18,013 crowd at the 2013 IIHF Women’s World Championship and 13,316 set in St. Paul by PWHL Minnesota on January 6.

A youngster named Quinne was shown on TV holding up a sign that read "We're way louder than Leafs fans."

The PWHL could have sat back and played to smaller crowds, but happy that the league took the challenge and have seen that fans will come out to watch women play hockey.

NHL the month in preview November 2023

NHL the month in preview October 2023

The NHL has picked some unusual and lame locations for its U.S. based outdoor games. So we should acknowledge when they get one correct. Ohio Stadium aka the Horseshoe will finally host a NHL outdoor game. The 102,780-seat capacity in a stadium that has been around since 1922 are key attributes in having an outdoor game.

The stadium deserves the Winter Classic instead of the lesser Stadium Series moniker. Your humble narrator has been to Ohio Stadium and Michigan Stadium, which has hosted a game involving the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Detroit Red Wings in that 2025 game on March 1. This sets up a Michigan-Ohio State type rivalry game.

Montréal hasn't hosted a NHL outdoor game yet has played in 4 outdoor games, 3 of them in Canada. Columbus has never played in a NHL outdoor game.

The $870 million that Quebec will spend on a new roof for Olympic Stadium opens up possibilities for the CFL (Grey Cup) and NHL (Heritage Classic). Montréal is the only Canadian NHL city or CFL city to never host an outdoor game.

A Heritage Classic with no roof at Stade Olympique would be enchanting but the stadium will be closed during the 4-year renovation project. Understand that we are talking Quebec where 4 years and $870 million will not be enough to finish the project.

According to this CBC News article, "The roof will be fixed, rigid and feature a transparent glass hoop, so the tower will be visible from the inside. It will also flood the stadium with daylight and offer a view of the night sky."

Montréal hasn't hosted the Grey Cup since 2008. Vancouver has the second-longest with 2014 as the last date, though the 2024 Grey Cup will be at BC Place.

The NHL allowed Vancouver to host an "outdoor" game with Vancouver's roof in 2014. The league could have done an "outdoor" game in Olympic Stadium even before the renovations.

Montréal has 2 viable options outside of Stade Olympique: Stade Saputo (19,619) and Percival Molson Memorial Stadium (25,012). Expanding seating at Molson Stadium is a lot easier. Stade IGA, formally Stade Du Maurier, in Jarry Park seats fewer than 12,000 so that won't work.

A new Olympic Stadium could welcome back the Toronto Blue Jays for spring training or a temporary home for the hopefully relocated Tampa Bay Rays.

Quebec City's best shot would be Stade Telus-Université Laval, home of the Laval Rouge et Or of U Sports football, at slightly more than the tennis arena at 12,817.

Chicago will host its 4th outdoor game with the 2025 Winter Classic. Montréal has 0 with no plans to fix this.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

February 6 Edmonton @ Las Vegas, 10p Mike Monaco/Cassie Campbell-Pascall/Emily Kaplan ESPN+/Hulu
February 17 Edmonton @ Dallas, 3p Mike Monaco/AJ Mleczko ABC
February 19 Toronto @ St. Louis, 1p Bob Wischusen/Ryan Callahan/Leah Hextall ESPN
February 21 Boston @ Edmonton, 10p John Forslund/Eddie Olczyk/Jackie Redmond TNT
February 28 St. Louis @ Edmonton, 8:30p John Forslund/Eddie Olczyk/Aly Lozoff TNT

The first time a Canadian team was on ABC didn't start out well. The previous game had gone to overtime. Bob Wischusen didn't tell the ABC audience where to find the Edmonton Oilers until just after the game started. ESPNews was the backup channel.

ABC joined the game with 12:23 remaining in the 1st period.

We wondered if Citytv would simsub the ABC feed but that didn't happen. Rogers Sportsnet also carried the game nationally.

The Edmonton-Dallas game drew 759,000 on ABC, a bit below the first game of the day (Los Angeles at Boston) that drew 823,000. Given there was only a single home market, the Oilers drew quite well.

The Edmonton Oilers fell a game short of the record for the NHL longest winning streak, finishing with a 16-game winning streak. That was tied for second-best (with Columbus 2016-2017) and 1 short of Pittsburgh (1992-1993). ESPN was going to pick up the Oilers game in Anaheim on ESPN2 had Edmonton won in Las Vegas.

John Forslund, who isn't even a TNT regular, has called 3 games in Edmonton for TNT this season. This doesn't count the Heritage Classic, where Forslund wasn't even in Canada.

Love how ESPN will promote the Battle of Alberta for its NHL coverage through ESPN+ Power Play but is afraid to carry those teams playing each other.

The NHL Network went for the Tampa Bay feed with the Ottawa game. Dave Randorf and Brian Engblom are better than most of the U.S. national announcing teams. Too bad they are trapped in Tampa Bay.

Victor Findlay goes from English radio to English TV, filling in for Bryan Mudryk on Habs telecasts on TSN2. Mudryk is taking his yearly jump into calling curling. Kenzie Lalonde will get some chances to fill in on radio for Findlay on the Montréal games.

The Oilers didn’t even have 16 straight wins.

Two of them were Pride Night games.

That’s two gay wins and 14 straight wins. pic.twitter.com/2j153BJOgE

— Cody Sweet (@dcodysweet) February 8, 2024

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

The NHL Network couldn't carry the early game on February 10 to not interfere with a ESPN+/Hulu game. Seriously? The channel did something rarely done these days but used to do every so often: carry a late HNIC game. Rogers Sportsnet doesn't claim exclusivity on a late HNIC game.

The promos came easily on the late telecast instead of the struggle during the early games.

The 2024 Junos, with new host Nelly Furtado, will be in Halifax on March 24 on CBC. The promo mentioned CBC and CBC Gem as opposed to just CBC Gem.

The new slogan for CBC Gem, based on the promo, is that CBC Gem offers "no payment entertainment."

We got 6 promos from the February 24 early game, a rare 3 in the 1st period and 2 within a minute of each other. The lone promo in the 3rd period aired before the period so no mentions during the actual final period of an exciting game.

For those new readers, Rogers Sportsnet is required to air 6 CBC promos during Hockey Night in Canada. Ideally, there should be 2 promos per period, within game action and not next to a commercial.

February 10 late game: One More Time; Allegiance (1st); PWHL February 17; CBC Gem (2nd); 2024 Junos; The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down (3rd)

February 24 early game: One More Time; CBC News app; PWHL March 2 (1st); The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down; 2024 Junos (2nd); Allegiance (3rd)

photo credits: NHL; ESPN+
Twitter captures: @Devin_Heroux; @dcodysweet

NHL the month in preview February 2024

ABC finally carries a NHL Canadian team for the first time in the ESPN contract. To no one's surprise, Edmonton is involved and not on Canadian soil as the Oilers go to Dallas (17). The game will also be on ESPN+.

TNT waits a long time to show a Canadian team in 2024, as in the end of February. That lone team is Edmonton. Unlike ESPN, TNT isn't afraid to come to Canada with a pair of Oilers home games against Boston (21) and St. Louis (28). The Blues game is a single game on Wednesday.

ESPN takes advantage of the U.S. holiday with Toronto on the road, this time a matinee in St. Louis (19).

ESPN+/Hulu stays in the United States with the Edmonton Oilers at Gary Bettman's favourite desert team (6).

NHL Network has a light February with Canadian teams. The channel runs a late Hockey Night in Canada game with Connor McDavid in Los Angeles (10). The NHL Network doesn't want to run opposite a ESPN+/Hulu game earlier that night.

The channel sidesteps the Stadium Series (17) and goes for a Monday night trip with Ottawa in western Florida (19). The NHL Network goes back to Hockey Night in Canada in the early slot with Toronto in Denver (24).

The best game on February 17 is a battle of red-hot teams with Winnipeg in Vancouver. Thank goodness for ESPN+ on the U.S. side.

ABC

February 17
Edmonton @ Dallas, 3p

TNT

February 21
Boston @ Edmonton, 10p
February 28
St. Louis @ Edmonton, 8:30p

ESPN

February 19
Toronto @ St. Louis, 1p

NHL Network

February 10
Edmonton @ Los Angeles, 10p (HNIC)
February 19
Ottawa @ Tampa Bay, 7p
February 24
Toronto @ Colorado, 7p (HNIC)

ESPN+/Hulu

February 6
Edmonton @ Las Vegas, 10p

Hockey Night in Canada

February 10

Toronto @ Ottawa, 7p/Pittsburgh @ Winnipeg, 7p
Edmonton @ Los Angeles, 10p

February 17 (Stadium Series)

Anaheim @ Toronto, 7p/Washington @ Montréal, 7p
Winnipeg @ Vancouver, 10p

February 24

Toronto @ Colorado, 7p/Las Vegas @ Ottawa, 7p/Boston @ Vancouver, 7p
Calgary @ Edmonton, 10p

Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts

February 5 NY Islanders @ Toronto, 7p

February 6 Calgary @ Boston, 7p

February 7 Dallas @ Toronto, 7p

February 10 Calgary @ NY Islanders, 1p

February 11 Vancouver @ Washington, 1:30p

February 12 Calgary @ NY Rangers, 7p

February 14 San Jose @ Winnipeg, 7:30p

February 15 San Jose @ Calgary, 9p

February 17 Edmonton @ Dallas, 3p/Detroit @ Calgary, 4p

February 19 Edmonton @ Arizona, 4p/Ottawa @ Tampa Bay, 7p

February 21 Buffalo @ Montréal, 7p/Boston @ Edmonton, 10p

February 22 Boston @ Calgary, 9p

February 23 Minnesota @ Edmonton, 9p

February 26 Ottawa @ Washington, 7p/Los Angeles @ Edmonton, 9:30p

February 28 St. Louis @ Edmonton, 8:30p

Toronto finally gets a NHL All-Star Game, the first since 2000

We did sort of preview the 2024 NHL All-Star Game on Canadian soil for the first time in 12 years. The NHL All-Star Game was February 3 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

NHL the month in preview January 2024

Your humble narrator, with a borderline OK hockey IQ, is intrigued by teams that trade for players earlier in the season instead of waiting until the trade deadline. Also intriguing when rival Canadian teams make these deals.

Earlier this season, Calgary traded pending unrestricted free agents (UFA) defenseman Nikita Zadorov to Vancouver. The moving trucks just came out with the Flames dealing pending UFA Elias Lindholm to the Canucks. Calgary gets back Andrei Kuzmenko, defenseman prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a 1st-round pick and a conditional 4th-round selection (2024 NHL Draft).

The number of players who have escaped Calgary in recent years would make a great all-star team. Though, Lindholm had a 15-game goalless streak before getting the only goal in a 1-0 win over Chicago at home on January 27.

The Canucks gave up a lot for a player who likely won't stay in Vancouver. Kuzmenko and the 4th-round pick for Lindholm makes better sense on paper. Vancouver may regret letting Kuzmenko get away.

The idea is that Lindholm will be much better in Vancouver and possibly stay beyond the spring and summer of 2024.

The Flames will likely trade defencemen Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin, both pending UFA.

Calgary did win a Stanley Cup all the way back in 1989. Vancouver hasn't won the Stanley Cup. The Canucks are all in and the Flames will get some benefit from dealing with Vancouver.

Speaking of NHL trades within Canada, the Winnipeg Jets acquired centre Sean Monahan from the Montréal Canadiens. The price was steep: a 1st-round pick (2024) and a conditional 3rd-round draft pick (2027). The conditional pick is contingent on the Jets winning the Stanley Cup, something that has never happened. Monahan is a pending UFA.

NHL the month in preview December 2023

Four NHLers – Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube & Cal Foote – have been directed to surrender to London police to be charged with sexual assault in connection with an alleged incident that occurred during a 2018 Hockey Canada event.

From @rwesthead:… pic.twitter.com/8JeYMibBJt

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 30, 2024

Journalists, by nature, use terms such as "alleged" and "innocent until proven guilty." That is definitely the case with 4 current NHL players and 1 former NHL player charged with sexual assault in an alleged (there is that word) incident that occurred during a Hockey Canada event in London, Ontario in June 2018.

NHL players Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, and Cal Foote as well as former NHL player Alex Formenton are the players.

There is a news conference later today that may offer slightly more information than we have to this date.

Hockey Canada settled a civil lawsuit out of court on the matter in May 2022. Regardless of what happened, justice should not be slow and casual. This news story from a year ago gives us some idea on the ineptness of finding out what really happened.

The story from the alleged victim — E.M. — says she had consensual sex with one of the players. According to her statement, that player then invited his teammates into the room. While that player isn't being charged, we are highly curious about who that player is and his alleged judgment.

There is no rooting in the press box yet there is rooting in a courtroom, rooting for justice. Everyone involved deserves justice.

One side note: The Calgary Flames announced that Dillon Dube was taking time off for mental health. After the news broke, the team said they didn't know about the pending charges. If the team knew, they should be fined by the league for using mental health as a shield. This is especially true because if her allegations are true, her mental health has greatly suffered. Mental health issues are very real and should not be an excuse to hide criminal charges.

NHL the month in preview November 2023

That's a wrap on the 24th annual @Scotiabank #HockeyDay in Canada 🍁🏒

Thanks for joining us from the @CityofVictoria, until next year!

📸: @KevinRLight pic.twitter.com/eCBtZLdOaq

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 21, 2024

Downtown Victoria looked good on a very cloudy +7°C day for Hockey Day in Canada (HDIC). Wonderful to have the lit-up Parliament building between Elliotte Friedman for the Saturday Headlines report. The harbour is a gorgeous spot and they used the space rather well.

You can find some of the details of the segments, including natives and brothers Jordie and Jamie Benn.

The NHL Network gave a 30-minute peek into the HDIC coverage. The days of the U.S. audience, outside those with a CBC signal, getting a chance to see the 2-hour block are long gone. This should be obvious ESPN+ programming to promote the sport, but obvious isn't always.

The games, outside the Montréal game in the United States, were quite exciting.

Given my wide travels throughout Canada, I have been to few cities that have been the Hockey Day in Canada base. Here are those locations: Toronto, Ontario (2000); Red Deer, Alberta (2001); Stratford, Ontario (2010); Prince Edward Island (2012); Halifax, Nova Scotia (2015); and Victoria, British Columbia (2024).

Even within this limited scope, your humble narrator has been in Red Deer on a Greyhound bus twice. Been to Charlottetown in PEI but not Summerside. Visited Stratford as a child.

Tracking the NHL 2023 media changes

2023 NHL preseason schedule

Alex DeBrincat leaves the Ottawa Senators in part to search for a nearby Chipotle

Ever since the Quebec Nordiques decamped in 1995, leaving a hole in the Francophone city, vote-seeking officials have vowed to bring them back. But younger voters may be starting to forget the team. https://t.co/zDAdYJ65Qu

— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 6, 2024

The NHL has lost so much potential money by keeping teams in poor markets while deserving markets get shut out because they are the "wrong" cities. Quebec City is a very logical place to have a NHL franchise and the city has a beautiful new arena. An arena that seats a lot more than 5,000 (yes Coyotes, we are calling you out).

The New York Times somehow wrote an article on this topic. The angle is that younger residents may not remember too much of the Quebec Nordiques. The same could be said for Hartford Whalers/New England Whalers fans, another WHA team turned NHL that was moved.

This was a mild concern in Winnipeg with the amount of time in between times in the NHL. The Jets are another former WHA team. Yet the Winnipeg Jets are doing well on and off the ice.

The article ties into the political element of a franchise in Quebec in the provincial capital. Francois Legault poured in millions of taxpayer dollars to get NHL preseason games in Quebec City via the Los Angeles Kings.

One of the misleading angles of concern was the potential Nordiques ownership of Pierre Karl Péladeau. We disagree on a number of issues with Péladeau's politics yet he isn't a threat because of potential sports ownership. Péladeau owns the CFL Montréal Alouettes, 2023 CFL Grey Cup champions.

The new Quebec Nordiques would end up on TVA Sports in French, a network owned by Péladeau. Rogers Sportsnet East doesn't have a local NHL team and would be an obvious spot for English TV in Canada. The TV rights presumably would also include the Ottawa Senators and Montréal Canadiens areas, including the Maritimes and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Stastny brothers (Anton, Marian, Peter). Joe Sakic (1988–1995) before going to Denver. Even Guy Lafleur (1989-1991) played for the Nordiques.

Denver got the Avalanche after a significant gap. Somehow, the Colorado Rockies ended up in New Jersey. Whatever we might think of a lot of NHL cities, Denver always deserved a team. Just not at the expense of Quebec City.

Bring the Nordiques back and the young people will jump into the NHL so quickly.

For the kids…this is what the Habs and Avs once looked like.

The battle of Quebec was just different! pic.twitter.com/buTJ8XpLzr

— Tim Micallef (@tim_micallef) January 16, 2024

Success of a PWHL franchise in Ottawa could expedite a NHL arena in downtown Ottawa

We were amazed at the record attendance for the PWHL, first in Ottawa and then Minnesota. We produced an easy guide to get to the 3 Canadian PWHL arenas for potential tourists and those who live in their cities.

We did figure once there was a strong and organized league that people would discover the wonderful world of women's hockey.

The Battle on Bay Street features Toronto and Montréal on February 16 at Scotiabank Arena, home of the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs. That could set a new PWHL attendance record, the 3rd in the inaugural season.

The arena is at 40 Bay Street in Toronto. Bay Street is the symbolic financial section, similar to Wall Street in New York City.

Save up the money you would have spent on flowers and chocolate for Valentine's Day and use that to go see the PWHL live in person. If you are the person likely to get those flowers and chocolate, tell your partner to spend the money on PWHL tickets.

NHL the month in preview October 2023

NHL Center Ice ran a free preview from January 1-7. Not much of a promo given no games were available on January 1. Only 1 game involving a Canadian team on January 3 and January 5. My equipment situation is lousy so I couldn't even get all of the games available in the preview.

USA/Latvia. Final game of the stellar career of the marvellous Dennis Beyak.

— Dan Robertson (@DanRTSN) January 2, 2024

We knew when Dennis Beyak retired from being the TV voice of the Winnipeg Jets, Beyak would still be the secondary announcer for World Juniors on TSN behind Gord Miller. Now Beyak is completely retired.

Dan Robertson has done a wonderful job as the Winnipeg Jets TV voice on TSN3. Still, we miss Beyak and his command of play by play.

Kenzie Lalonde called some of the World Juniors coverage. Lalonde would be in the mix to take Beyak's spot at the World Juniors.

Speaking of TSN, looks like Frank Corrado is providing analysis on Habs games with Bryan Mudryk. Corrado is a Canadian who played mostly for Canadian NHL teams. Corrado is essentially replacing Dave Poulin on TSN2. Cheryl Pounder has replaced Poulin on the studio coverage. Pounder has worked in a variety of roles. Both seem to be doing a good job with the additional responsibilities.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

January 2 Toronto @ Los Angeles, 10:30p Mike Monaco/Cassie Campbell-Pascall ESPN+/Hulu
January 6 Calgary @ Philadelphia, 1p EJ Hradek/Kevin Weekes NHLN
January 9 Edmonton @ Chicago, 8:30p Bob Wischusen/Ray Ferraro ESPN+/Hulu
January 11 Toronto @ NY Islanders, 7p Mike Monaco/AJ Mleczko/Emily Kaplan ESPN
January 21 Ottawa @ Philadelphia, 1p Jamie Hersch/Kevin Weekes NHLN

We said Cassie Campbell-Pascall was leaving ESPN as well as Sportsnet to join the PWHL. Campbell-Pascall is still in the ESPN mix.

We like the neutrality of the NHL Network Showcase games. Presenting Philadelphia was about who is hot while Calgary was portrayed as "who might get traded." Be who you are; don't try to be ESPN. Stay like Switzerland.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

For those new readers, Rogers Sportsnet is required to air 6 CBC promos during Hockey Night in Canada. Ideally, there should be 2 promos per period, within game action and not next to a commercial.

The dynamic of the promos have changed to leaving out "CBC" and going straight to "CBC Gem." For example, One More Time airs on Tuesdays at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in most of Newfoundland). The promos mention the day but not the time. We'd be curious in a Venn diagram of the shared subset between hockey viewers and those who are comfortable streaming CBC as opposed to watching CBC.

Allegiance starts on February 7 while The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down begins on February 8.

Rogers Sportsnet claimed exclusivity of the Colorado-Toronto game on January 13 (CBC carried the all-Canadian game from Montréal that night) and shockingly the Toronto-Vancouver game on Hockey Day in Canada on January 20 as well as the Maple Leafs and the Jets on January 27. We have noted this strategy before in previous seasons.

The January 6 NHL Network game in Montréal aired on Citytv. The NHL Network picked up the only American team in Hockey Day in Canada on January 20 and pulled a surprise with the Senators on January 27.

January 20 early game: CBC News app; One More Time (1st); The Great Canadian Pottery Throw Down; 1/27 PWHL game (2nd); Wild Cards; Allegiance (3rd)

photo credits: NHL; @Sportsnet; PWHL
Twitter captures: @TSN_Sports; @Sportsnet; @nytimes; @DanRTSN; @tim_micallef

Toronto gets a NHL All-Star Game for the first time since 2000

Happy February. The NHL monthly preview normally runs today. Our NHL monthly preview comes out on February 5, the first day after the NHL All-Star Game break.

We normally ignore the NHL All-Star Game for a variety of reasons. For the first time since 2012, the NHL All-Star Game is on Canadian soil. The 2024 NHL All-Star Game is February 3 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The 2012 game was in Kanata, outside Ottawa.

Here are some notable features about the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.

Introducing your #NHLAllStar Game captains! 🫡

Don't miss the 2024 #NHLAllStar Weekend from February 1st-3rd on @espn, @ESPNPlus, @Sportsnet, and @TVASports! pic.twitter.com/EEhOGJHmg8

— NHL (@NHL) January 21, 2024

Each team gets NHL players and a Canadian celebrity as captains. Justin Bieber is a slam dunk. Michael Bublé is a strong choice. Will Arnett is a big hockey fan. Tate McRae is new to me.

If I were picking Canadian celebrities in this fashion, I might have gone with Jared Keeso, Simu Liu, The Weeknd, and Emily Hampshire. This is why they don't rely on my opinions.

The teams have 2 Canadian captains among the players with Connor McDavid and Nathan McKinnon as well as American captains Auston Matthews (Maple Leafs) and the Hughes brothers, Quinn (Canucks) and Jack.

NHL the month in preview January 2024

Generally from 1947 to 1968, the All-Star Game format was the previous season's Stanley Cup champions against all-stars from the other teams. The modern All-Star Game format started in 1969 with Wales (eastern) and Campbell (western) all-stars.

Under the old format, Montréal hosted 8 previous All-Star Games and Toronto hosted 7 All-Star Games.

NHL All-Star Games in Canada under the modern format
Year	Arena	City	Host total
1969	Montréal Forum	Montréal	9
1975	Montréal Forum	Montréal	10
1977	Pacific Coliseum	Vancouver	1
1985	Olympic Saddledome	Calgary	1
1989	Northlands Coliseum	Edmonton	1
1993	Montréal Forum	Montréal	11
1998	General Motors Place	Vancouver	2
2000	Air Canada Centre	Toronto	8
2009	Bell Centre	Montréal	12
2012	Scotiabank Place	Kanata/Ottawa	1
2024	Scotiabank Arena	Toronto	9

 

Both Vancouver arenas have had an All-Star Game. The new Toronto arena will now have 2 games while the Bell Centre has had 1. Calgary and Edmonton have had an All-Star Game but not since Gary Bettman became the commissioner. Winnipeg has never hosted a NHL All-Star Game.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

The NHL All-Star Skills will take place February 2 while the NHL All-Star Game will be held on February 3.

Rogers Sportsnet will carry the Thursday festivities in Canada while ESPN and ESPN+ will broadcast the event in the U.S.

CBC and Sportsnet will have the Skills Competition and All-Star Game in English and on TVA Sports in French. ESPN has the Skills Competition and ABC has the All-Star Game in the United States. Both events will also stream live in the U.S. on ESPN+.

Our NHL month in preview for February will run on February 5, when the season resumes.

photo credit: NHL

Success of a PWHL franchise in Ottawa could expedite a NHL arena in downtown Ottawa

Tuning in to history, together.

Our inaugural game reached 2.9 million Canadian viewers on New Year’s Day across our three Canadian national broadcast partners: CBC, Sportsnet, and TSN.
📰 https://t.co/4XfdTTA6Ed pic.twitter.com/C8g9c9AEKB

— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) January 5, 2024

A wonderful turnout for Opening Day of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) experience. We love the balance between 3 Canadian franchises and 3 American ones.

We are curious about the potential success of the Ottawa franchise, not factoring in the ice performance. PWHL board member Stan Kasten said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman first suggested to him that Ottawa could be a strong market.

"I will tell you this wasn't necessarily on our opening list of cities. Gary was the first one who said 'you ought to think about Ottawa,'" Kasten said before Ottawa's inaugural home opener against Montréal at TD Place. "He gave me a lot of good advice. I'm really happy I was smart enough to take his advice."

The Ottawa home opener had a sellout crowd of 8,318, setting a then record for a pro women's hockey game.

LARGEST ATTENDANCE EVER

8,318 packed into TD Place tonight for the first PWHL in Ottawa.

That’s a world record crowd for professional women’s hockey. pic.twitter.com/o1AVm1mJXm

— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) January 3, 2024

We will praise Bettman for his suggestion. We do have a caveat since Bettman never does anything for the sake of others. Bettman's greed isn't such a bad thing in this case.

Let's say you work in downtown Ottawa. You reach the end of your workday and want to stay downtown and watch a hockey game. You have to get all the way out to Kanata to watch the NHL Ottawa Senators. They are not that good these days.

Where to visit Canada in 2024

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

You could stay downtown, grab a nice dinner, and go over to TD Place to watch the Ottawa PWHL franchise. CFL fans likely know that TD Place (the arena), home rink of the OHL Ottawa 67s, is literally underneath TD Place (the stadium), home of the Ottawa RedBlacks.

We generally recommend the 6 and 7 buses from downtown down Bank Street to get to the arena. There are buses for special events, such as 450, 451, 452 and 454, 455, 456.

Traditionally for Ottawa RedBlacks, Ottawa 67s, and other events at TD Place, a ticket to the event gets you free transit on all OC Transpo routes, starting 3 hours before the event and 3 hours after the event. We hope that also applies to the PWHL games at the arena.

We did that for a RedBlacks game and thought that was a wonderful perk in traveling to and from the game.

If you are on the Confederation Line of the O-Train, get off at the Parliament | Parlement station (underneath O'Connor and Queen streets) and catch the 6 or 7 bus to TD Place.

We think Bettman's enthusiasm for having a PWHL team in Ottawa will enhance the idea of a NHL arena in downtown Ottawa at LeBreton Flats. Sometimes sworn enemies can agree on a few things.

The other Canadian franchises don't have that kind of pressure since those cities have strong downtown arenas. Getting to the PWHL sites isn't too difficult in those cities.

The Montréal franchise plays at Verdun Auditorium, near the De L'Église Metro station on the Green Line heading toward the Angrignon station. The De L'Église stop is 6 stops west of the Peel station in downtown Montréal.

The Lucien-L'Allier station on the Orange Line, near the Bell Centre, is 5 stops away, though you have to transfer to the Green Line at the Lionel-Groulx station. You could walk above ground a couple of blocks and get on the Green Line downtown at the Guy-Concordia station for an easier trip.

The Verdun Auditorium has about half the capacity for hockey as Ottawa does at 3,795.

The Toronto franchise plays at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, essentially the old Maple Leaf Gardens, with a 3,850 capacity. You can take the TTC subway to the College Street stop at Yonge and College to 60 Carlton Street (College turns into Carlton east of Yonge Street).

You can walk over from the Queen's Park station at University and College and walk a little further to the arena.

The 506 Carlton streetcar runs from High Park to the Danforth neighbourhood and can take you to the arena. You have good choices.

As for the U.S. teams, the New York and Boston teams aren't in the city with Boston playing in Lowell and New York playing in Bridgeport, CT (though 4 games will be at the new New York Islanders arena).

Minnesota had 13,316 fans at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for its home opener, setting a new record for a professional women's hockey game. Minnesota broke the mark set by Ottawa in its PWHL opener.

NHL the month in preview January 2024

Happy Holidays 2023 includes the final Letterkenny season

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

You might be a NHL fan and love live hockey. You might not have a lot of money and find that the PWHL fits your budget a lot better. You will likely have a better seat closer to the action at a PWHL game.

We envision people visiting Canada in warmer times. A business trip or a great off-season hotel rate might draw you to a major eastern Canada city.

Staying downtown in any of these cities can put you really close to a PWHL game. Something to consider to add to your Canadian travel experience.

Twitter captures: @thepwhlofficial; @Devin_Heroux
logo credit: PWHL

NHL the month in preview January 2024

Happy New Year!! Welcome to 2024. TNT is backloading its Canadian team schedule so the channel won't have any Canadian teams in January. March will be incredible on Wednesdays and Sundays.

ESPN had so much fun with the New York City metro area that the channel will showcase its other favourite Canadian team as Toronto visits Belmont (11).

ESPN+/Hulu keeps with its very boring profile with Toronto and Edmonton on the road. The Maple Leafs are in Los Angeles (2) and the Oilers are in Chicago (9).

NHL Network is heavy on Hockey Night in Canada in January. Toronto only gets a single HNIC game, hosting Colorado (13). The New York Rangers get 2 games involving Canadian teams with eastern road trips to Montréal (6) and Ottawa (27). The Canadiens also factor in the lone Hockey Day in Canada game with the Habs in Boston (20).

The NHL Network has a pair of Showcase games in Philadelphia involving Calgary (6) and Ottawa (21). The Senators also get a Monday night game, hosting Nashville (29). Ottawa has 3 games in 8 days, 2 at home, on the NHL Network. TNT has had a single Senators road game in the history of the contract while ESPN doesn't know there is a team in Ottawa.

Hockey Day in Canada will be in Victoria, BC on January 20. The 7 Canadian teams and Boston will be in action.

A reminder for our U.S. readers that games not on a major channel or the NHL Network are available on ESPN+.

ESPN

January 11
Toronto @ NY Islanders, 7p

NHL Network

January 6
Calgary @ Philadelphia, 1p (NHLN Showcase)
NY Rangers @ Montréal, 7p (HNIC)
January 13
Colorado @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
January 20
Montréal @ Boston, 7p (HNIC)
January 21
Ottawa @ Philadelphia, 1p (NHLN Showcase)
January 27
NY Rangers @ Ottawa, 7p (HNIC)
January 29
Nashville @ Ottawa, 7p

ESPN+/Hulu

January 2
Toronto @ Los Angeles, 10:30p
January 9
Edmonton @ Chicago, 8:30p

Hockey Night in Canada

January 6

Toronto @ San Jose, 7p/NY Rangers @ Montréal, 7p/Vancouver @ New Jersey, 7p
Ottawa @ Edmonton, 10p

January 13

Colorado @ Toronto, 7p/Edmonton @ Montréal, 7p/Philadelphia @ Winnipeg, 7p
Calgary @ Las Vegas, 10p

January 20 (Hockey Day in Canada)

Winnipeg @ Ottawa, 3p/Toronto @ Vancouver, 7p/Montréal @ Boston, 7p
Edmonton @ Calgary, 10p

January 27

Toronto @ Winnipeg, 7p/NY Rangers @ Ottawa, 7p/Montréal @ Pittsburgh, 7p
Chicago @ Calgary, 10p/Columbus @ Vancouver, 10p

Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts

January 2 Philadelphia @ Edmonton, 9p

January 3 Toronto @ Anaheim, 9p

January 6 Calgary @ Philadelphia, 1p

January 7 Calgary @ Chicago, 3p

January 8 Vancouver @ NY Rangers, 7p

January 9 Edmonton @ Chicago, 8:30p

January 10 Montréal @ Philadelphia, 7p

January 11 Calgary @ Arizona, 9p

January 13 Vancouver @ Buffalo, 4p

January 15 Colorado @ Montréal, 7p

January 16 Toronto @ Edmonton, 9p/Arizona @ Calgary, 9p

January 17 Montréal @ New Jersey, 7p

January 18 Seattle @ Edmonton, 9p

January 22 Winnipeg @ Boston, 7p/Chicago @ Vancouver, 10p

January 23 St. Louis @ Calgary, 9p

January 24 Winnipeg @ Toronto, 7p

January 25 Chicago @ Edmonton, 9p

January 27 Nashville @ Edmonton, 4p

January 29 Nashville @ Ottawa, 7p

January 31 Ottawa @ Detroit, 7p

News Release: D.J. Smith has been relieved of his head coaching duties; Jacques Martin has been named #Sens interim head coach. Daniel Alfredsson joins the team’s coaching staff as an assistant coach: https://t.co/UtadFrrkEG pic.twitter.com/LZiNGB5Mbm

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) December 18, 2023

Canada has 7 NHL teams and 2 of them fired their coach before Christmas Day. The Edmonton Oilers had expectations and panicked into making a coaching decision. The Ottawa Senators? Haven't seen the NHL playoffs since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference (Wales) final in 2017.

D.J. Smith was assured he wasn't in danger just because the team brought in Jacques Martin as an advisor. Martin is the new interim coach. The team also added Daniel Alfredsson as an assistant coach. Alfredsson was on the bench in his native Sweden as the Sens went 2-0 in Stockholm in November. Assistant coach Davis Payne also got the ax.

Your humble narrator had seen Smith's name on Twitter where fans were calling for him to be fired. The Senators were off to a terrible start even with not playing as many games as other teams. Did Smith get fired because people thought the team would be better or just got tired of losing.

New Ottawa owner Michael Andlauer and new director of hockey operations Steve Staios may have just wanted their own person in the hot seat as the coach. General manager Pierre Dorion already got fired earlier this season.

Martin has quite a legacy as the longest tenured coach in franchise history. He led the Senators from 1996 through 2004 with 8 straight playoff appearances.

Ottawa will have to get used to another head coach unless Martin, 71, is hanging around for awhile.

NHL the month in preview December 2023

NHL the month in preview November 2023

Anthony Beauvillier appeared to be the obvious prize in the Vancouver Canucks deal that sent Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders. Horvat quickly signed a long extension to stay on Long Island.

When Vancouver traded Anthony Beauvillier to Chicago for a lowly conditional 2024 5th-round draft pick, the move felt like a punch in the gut. Yes, the Canucks also acquired Aatu Räty and a conditional first-round pick in 2023 on January 30. Vancouver traded that pick in March to Detroit for Filip Hronek and a 4th-round pick in 2023 with Vancouver also trading a 2nd-round pick in 2023.

Hronek has worked out well in Vancouver this season.

Days later, Vancouver traded the pick acquired from Chicago and a 3rd-round pick in 2026 to Calgary for defenceman Nikita Zadorov.

Beauvillier will be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the NHL season and has a $4.15 million cap hit. Zadorov is also set to become an UFA at the end of this season and on the books for $3.75 million.

The Vancouver success in this part of the deal will depend on how well Zadorov plays AND whether the Canucks can re-sign the defenceman.

Horvat had a connection with Vancouver Canucks fans because he was the lone return for goaltender Cory Schneider. Vancouver traded Schneider on June 30, 2013 to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for the 9th overall pick in the 2013 draft, which the Canucks used to draft Horvat.

Zadarov might be a better asset than Beauvillier, especially if he stays. Theoretically, all the NHL teams have the same salary cap yet some teams do a lot better with juggling the numbers.

Alex DeBrincat leaves the Ottawa Senators in part to search for a nearby Chipotle

One of the reasons why Patrick Kane picked Detroit for his destination was being reunited with Alex DeBrincat. We knew DeBrincat wanted out of Ottawa rather badly. Would Patrick Kane's bond with DeBrincat be strong enough to have lured Kane to Ottawa? Probably not.

Detroit is far enough west yet with an eastern travel schedule (less West Coast travel). Kane wasn't likely going to any Canadian team, including the Maple Leafs. Kane in a Senators uniform would have been fun to the fans in Canada's capital (to quote John Forslund).

Happy Holidays 2023 includes the final Letterkenny season

Today marks the beginning of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). We love that there is more Canadian representation in this women's hockey league. We talked about the league briefly in our holidays notebook.

We have the PWHL schedules for CBC Sports, Rogers Sportsnet, and TSN. The CBC Sports schedule included streaming with some games, such as the opener, on CBC television. Sportsnet says other games will be added to its schedule. A few of the TSN telecasts will only be on TSN+.

All 3 will have the league opener in Toronto today along with Ici Télé and Ici Tou.TV through Radio-Canada.

There are regional deals for the 3 U.S. teams with MSG Networks (New York), Bally Sports North (Minnesota), and NESN (Boston).

The PWHL will also make games available on its YouTube channel outside of Canada. 

NHL the month in preview October 2023

We miss the kids' intros on the Hockey Night in Canada coverage. Gave those young hockey players a chance at glory by being on national television. The kids were likely dumped due to the sharp increase in gambling ads. Would rather see kids get a highlight of their childhood over stupid gambling ads.

We've seen Rogers gut so much of what CBC's Hockey Night in Canada so special since 2014.

Tracking the NHL 2023 media changes

2023 NHL preseason schedule

Your humble narrator came close to meeting Youppi! in 2002 at Olympic Stadium in Montréal. Youppi! was near us as his role as the mascot of the Montréal Expos (MLB). In 2023, you can get a more personalised experience with Youppi! though you will have to shell out $195 Canadian.

The profits reportedly go to the Montréal Canadiens Children's Foundation, though that wasn't part of the original presentation to fans. The "Fur on Demand" package offered a brief visit and photo session bearing confetti, a personalized sign, and a gift bag of Youppi! merchandise.

The Ticketmaster Web site notes that "It is always possible to meet him at Chez Youppi! in section 105 before the match and during intermissions."

Another reason to bring back Les Expos: the return of Youppi! to his first love of baseball.

A trailblazer for women in hockey. 💪

Thank you for all the incredible years, @CassieCampbell! ♥️ pic.twitter.com/PhFITUOuWV

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 19, 2023

We remember those games in Montréal in the CBC days where Mark Lee and Cassie Campbell-Pascall called those games on Hockey Night in Canada. Campbell-Pascall was a bit green yet you saw the potential.

Cassie Campbell-Pascall is leaving Rogers Sportsnet and ESPN to take on a role as a special advisor to the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). Cassie Campbell-Pascall spent 16 years at Hockey Night Canada in a variety of roles: ice level reporter, game analyst, and studio analyst.

Campbell-Pascall also was a fill-in analyst on Calgary Flames games a while back and served recently as a studio analyst on Monday Night Hockey.

"The opportunity to join the PWHL, and continue to have an impact on the women's game, was one that I absolutely had to accept," said Campbell-Pascall in a statement from the PWHL. "I'm extremely pleased to take an active advisory role in the advancement of a top pro league that is so full of promise."

Campbell-Pascall won a gold medal in 2002 and 2006 at the Winter Olympics and a silver medal in 1998.

Cassie Campbell-Pascall will be missed on TV on both sides of the border yet we see this wonderful opportunity for her.

Dave Poulin is leaving TSN as the primary Habs colour analyst to be the senior vice president, hockey operations for the Ottawa Senators. Craig Button has covered Montréal games on TSN2 when they play out west and Mike Johnson has filled in with not doing Maple Leafs games, his primary responsibility at TSN4. Frank Corrado worked the Canadiens game last night on TSN2. Curious as to who will cover those games Poulin would have worked.

Poulin was named the Toronto Maple Leafs vice president of hockey operations in 2009. He was fired as an assistant GM in 2014.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

December 6 Carolina @ Edmonton, 9:30p John Forslund/Darren Pang/Aly Lozoff TNT
December 12 Chicago @ Edmonton, 10p John Buccigross/Ray Ferraro/Leah Hextall ESPN
December 16 Vancouver @ Minnesota, 2p EJ Hradek/Kevin Weekes NHLN
December 17 Vancouver @ Chicago, 3p EJ Hradek/Kevin Weekes NHLN
December 19 Edmonton @ NY Islanders, 7:30p John Buccigross/Ray Ferraro ESPN+/Hulu
December 21 Edmonton @ New Jersey, 7:30p Steve Levy/Ray Ferraro ESPN+/Hulu
December 22 Edmonton @ NY Rangers, 7:30p Bob Wischusen/Ray Ferraro/Emily Kaplan ESPN+/Hulu

Good for ESPN to have Ray Ferraro on all 3 Edmonton games in the NYC metro area on ESPN+. Ferraro had different play-by-play people for each game. The Oilers went 2-1, snapping a 3-game losing streak in the regional visit. A nice experiment by ESPN+.

TNT and Alex Faust would have made more sense as a West Coast alternative for the game in Edmonton. John Forslund doesn't usually like Canada (going back to the Versus days) and sometimes fakes like he is there, such as the 2023 Heritage Classic. At least this time, Forslund was in Edmonton on Canadian soil.

The NHL Network picked up the Vancouver feed for the Hughes brothers contest, featuring all 3 of them. All of them scored points in the New Jersey 6-5 win. The bonus for U.S. fans was getting Ray Ferraro on the Rogers Sportsnet Pacific feed. 

ESPN did cover and over-emphasize the battle of the Connors (Bedard vs. McDavid) and made a rare trip to Canadian soil. TNT is not be afraid to go to Vancouver, unlike ESPN. Thanks to the NHL Network for rising to this occasion.

The NHL Network Showcase games are blacked out in local markets. This is a fact that I wasn't aware of until mid-December when Vancouver traveled to Chicago.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

December is usually a terrible month for CBC promos during Hockey Night in Canada games. The only game on the U.S. side was after Christmas.

For those new readers, Rogers Sportsnet is required to air 6 CBC promos during Hockey Night in Canada. Ideally, there should be 2 promos per period, within game action and not next to a commercial. There is very little ideal about the current relationship. CBC gets the promos and no money for running Sportsnet programming for 7 hours on Saturday nights.

The PWHL opener on January 1 was on CBC and CBC Gem. The promos featured 2 new shows and a returning show.

Rogers Sportsnet claimed exclusivity of the Boston-Toronto game on December 2. CBC and Citytv carried the game from Montréal, including a celebration of the CFL champion Montréal Alouettes. Sportsnet pulled the same trick on December 9 so CBC covered the Montréal game while Citytv got the Ottawa game. The December 23 game had the Citytv feed.

December 30 early game: PWHL opener; CBC News (1st); Son of a Critch; One More Time; Wild Cards (2nd); PWHL opener (3rd)

photo credit: NHL
Twitter captures: @Senators; @Sportsnet

NHL the month in preview December 2023

Dwayne Roloson may not want to watch the lone TNT game in December (6) involving a Canadian team. The 2006 Stanley Cup final rematch could be triggering for Roloson. At least the Oilers have a new downtown arena instead of being out at Northlands Coliseum.

ESPN matches that with a rare trip to Canada where Connor Bedard will play Connor McDavid (12).

The NHL Network has a pair of Showcase games following the Vancouver Canucks to Minnesota (16) and Chicago (17). The Hughes brothers — Jack (New Jersey) and Quinn (Vancouver) — are a good reason for the U.S. channel to pay a visit to Vancouver (5).

The NHL Network has Canadian teams on 4 of the 5 HNIC Saturday nights: Boston in Toronto (2), Nashville in Canada's largest city (9), Sidney Crosby goes to Ottawa (16), and Carolina spends some of the holidays in Toronto (30).

ESPN+/Hulu is doing an unusual experiment, kicking up the Connor McDavid road obsession to 11. The streaming service will showcase Edmonton against the 3 New York City area teams in Belmont (19), Newark (21), and Midtown Manhattan between 7th and 8th Avenues from 31st to 33rd Street (22).

If Ray Ferraro is on those calls, we will be much more interested.

The NHL will take a seasonal break from December 24-26.

TNT

December 6
Carolina @ Edmonton, 9:30p

ESPN

December 12
Chicago @ Edmonton, 10p

NHL Network

December 2
Boston @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
December 5
New Jersey @ Vancouver, 10p
December 9
Nashville @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)
December 16
Vancouver @ Minnesota, 2p (NHLN Showcase)
December 17
Vancouver @ Chicago, 3p (NHLN Showcase)
December 23
Pittsburgh @ Ottawa, 7p (HNIC)
December 30
Carolina @ Toronto, 7p (HNIC)

ESPN+/Hulu

December 19
Edmonton @ NY Islanders, 7:30p
December 21
Edmonton @ New Jersey, 7:30p
December 22
Edmonton @ NY Rangers, 7:30p

Hockey Night in Canada

December 2

Boston @ Toronto, 7p/Detroit @ Montréal, 7p/Seattle @ Ottawa, 7p
Vancouver @ Calgary, 10p

December 9

Nashville @ Toronto, 7p/Montréal @ Buffalo, 7p/Ottawa @ Detroit, 7p
Carolina @ Vancouver, 10p

December 16

Pittsburgh @ Toronto, 7p/NY Islanders @ Montréal, 7p/Colorado @ Winnipeg, 7p
Florida @ Edmonton, 10p/Tampa Bay @ Calgary, 10p

December 23

Toronto @ Columbus, 7p/Pittsburgh @ Ottawa, 7p
Calgary @ Los Angeles, 10p/San Jose @ Vancouver, 10p

December 30

Carolina @ Toronto, 7p/Montréal @ Florida, 7p
Edmonton @ Los Angeles, 10p

Rogers Sportsnet national telecasts

December 4 Seattle @ Montréal, 7p/Carolina @ Winnipeg, 7:30p

December 6 Carolina @ Edmonton, 9:30p

December 9 New Jersey @ Calgary, 4p

December 10 New Jersey @ Edmonton, 4p

December 11 Toronto @ NY Islanders, 7p/Calgary @ Colorado, 9:30p

December 12 Calgary @ Las Vegas, 10p

December 13 Pittsburgh @ Montréal, 7p

December 14 Tampa Bay @ Edmonton, 9p

December 17 Vancouver @ Chicago, 3p

December 18 Montréal @ Winnipeg, 7:30p/Florida @ Calgary, 9:30p

December 20 Detroit @ Winnipeg, 7:30p

December 21 Calgary @ Anaheim, 10p

December 22 Edmonton @ NY Rangers, 7:30p

December 27 Ottawa @ Toronto, 7p/Seattle @ Calgary, 9:30p

December 28 Edmonton @ San Jose, 10:30p

2023 Heritage Classic wrapup: Battle of Alberta goes outdoors

2023 Heritage Classic preview: Battle of Alberta at Commonwealth Stadium

Appreciate your patience in our 2023 Heritage Classic wrapup. This game really should have been in early December after the Grey Cup. We were covering the 2023 Windsor International Film Festival and couldn't even watch the game live.

The Oilers got their second win of the year in the game. The game wasn't a bounce for either team. Better than San Jose but not by much.

The NHL insults Canada by having the outdoor games in October.

NHL the month in preview November 2023

Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft got to coach in the 2023 Heritage Classic. Edmonton fired Woodcroft and assistant coach Dave Manson on November 12.

Kris Knoblauch of the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack is the new head coach, joined by assistant coach Paul Coffey.

The Edmonton Oilers panicked after the team's 3-9-1 start, 1 of those wins being the 2023 Heritage Classic over Calgary, which hasn't fired its coach … yet. Knoblauch is Edmonton's 10th coach in the last 15 years.

Woodcroft had a 79-41-13 record as Oilers head coach. Will Knoblauch (nothing personal) do better? Neither of them is in goal for the Oilers.

NHL the month in preview October 2023

Where was your favourite Canadian NHL team in the standings on U.S. Thanksgiving? For those who care, Vancouver is #2 in its division (Smythe), Winnipeg is #3 in its division (Norris), and Toronto in a wild card spot (Adams). 

Montréal, Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton hope that trend does not hold. 

Tracking the NHL 2023 media changes

The TTC aka Toronto subway takes a lot of flak from those who live in Toronto. You can access Scotiabank Arena from Union Station without going outside.

William Nylander actually takes the TTC to the Toronto Maple Leafs home arena for nearly every game. Auston Matthews does not. 

Tyson Barrie reportedly took the subway to the arena when Barrie played in Toronto.

Professional athletes make enough money to drive to work. So seeing a NHL player on your way somewhere is a nice treat. Be respectful. They are literally going to work, same as millions who take a bus, train, or streetcar.

Alex DeBrincat leaves the Ottawa Senators in part to search for a nearby Chipotle

Maybe there is something to what the Ottawa team did, but something where Las Vegas deserves some kind of punishment for having the player after Ottawa had that person and the Senators get severely punished while Las Vegas gets off scot free. That sadly feels like the NHL these days.

Ottawa fired general manger Pierre Dorion in part because of the loss of the 1st round draft pick. Steve Staios, the club's president of hockey operations, will assume interim GM duties.

The Ottawa Senators will forfeit a 1st-round draft pick in either 2024, 2025, or 2026. The ruling noted that Ottawa didn't tell Las Vegas about the no-trade clause after Las Vegas tried to trade Evgeni Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks.

Dadonov had a no-trade clause that the NHL claims Ottawa should have told Las Vegas. This non general manager imagines when a player is traded, the contract is forwarded to the new team. In said contract, any non trade clauses would be included.

Las Vegas made the trade, not Ottawa. The severe punishment doesn't come with an explanation on what Ottawa didn't do that would be different from normal NHL team protocol.

Since this rarely happens, we can't imagine of the NHL privileged teams (Las Vegas, Boston, Pittsburgh) would ever suffer such a penalty. We can sadly imagine a team such as Ottawa suffering such a penalty.

Dorion had been the Senators general manager since April 2016.

Movember is over. The mustaches have been out over the last month as a reminder about fighting cancer. Gord Downie died from cancer; the Tragically Hip Fireworks was a wonderful tune for the Hockey Night in Canada open on November 4.

2023 NHL preseason schedule

Gary Bettman may not be interested in Quebec City though the Los Angeles Kings are drawn to the Quebec provincial capital for the 2024 preseason. The Kings will train in Quebec City from October 2-6.

The Quebec government is helping out with $5 million to $7 million. The Kings will have some open practices as well as a couple of preseason games with Boston Bruins (3) and Florida (5).   

Montréal used to have a preseason game at the Videotron Centre yet that hasn't happened since September 20, 2018 with Washington as the opponent.

Philip Danault (Victoriaville), formerly with the Habs, and Pierre-Luc Dubois (Ste-Agathe-des-Monts), formerly with the Winnipeg Jets, are Quebec natives on the Los Angeles roster.

Our guide to the NHL Canadian teams coverage

November 2 Toronto @ Boston, 7:30p Steve Levy/Ray Ferraro/Emily Kaplan ESPN+/Hulu
November 4 Nashville @ Edmonton, 3p EJ Hradek/Kevin Weekes NHLN
November 9 Edmonton @ San Jose, 10:30p Mike Monaco/Cassie Campbell-Pascall ESPN+/Hulu
November 15 NY Islanders @ Vancouver, 10p Brendan Burke/Jennifer Botterill/Darren Pang TNT

Was fun to watch Ray Ferraro cover a Toronto game in Toronto, like in the TSN4 days. Not the same in a lot of ways, especially without Gord Miller. The November 9 game might have been part of why Edmonton fired Jay Woodcroft. 

Brendan Burke is the Team B play by play person for TNT so Burke covered his day job team in Vancouver. Burke is a professional but that is not a good look. We found out this was Jennifer Botterill's return to Vancouver since she was on the gold medal team for Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics.  

TNT's Eddie Olczyk did a little moonlighting, co-hosting After Hours with Scott Oake in Seattle. Olczyk has a good history with the original Winnipeg Jets and shared some memories with Oake.

Sportsnet threw a few wrenches in watching After Hours right away. You can eventually find the whole episode online though Canadians could get faster access through Sportsnet+. Those who can access CBC can watch the segment on television. 

We've seen John Garrett work a couple of Hockey Night in Canada games from Montréal this season. If you are cutting back your workload, Montréal trips are a good way to relax in a really beautiful city.

Ray Ferraro made his return to the Vancouver Canucks booth in Montréal. Ferraro and John Shorthouse proved to be a great combination on Rogers Sportsnet Pacific.

Gord Miller and Mike Johnson did an excellent job with the games in Sweden. They are used to international games. They even covered the Sunday game with Toronto for the NHL Network while John Bartlett and Garry Galley called that game from Stockholm on Sportsnet. 

Kyle Bukauskas had some fun with an homage to Mister Rogers in Pittsburgh on November 25. Of course, Rogers started Mister Rogers Neighbourhood with CBC in Toronto.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

We are catching up on October and November in our December month in preview for CBC promos during Hockey Night in Canada games as seen on U.S. television.

The Pan American Games ran from October 20-November 5. Chris Cuthbert noted the irony of running that promo the day before the end of the games on November 4. The Parapan American Games ran from November 17-26.

CBC used promos for a non-Canadian TV show (Ghosts), which would seem to be a violation of its own internal rules.

For those new readers, Rogers Sportsnet is required to air 6 CBC promos during Hockey Night in Canada. Ideally, there should be 2 promos per period, within game action and not next to a commercial.

The Chris Cuthbert telecasts seem to run 5 promos except for November 25. John Shorthouse only gave us 4 promos on November 11.

Rogers Sportsnet claimed exclusivity of the Vancouver-Toronto game on November 11. We have noted this strategy before in previous seasons. This also means CBC and Citytv carried the game from Montréal that night.

We don't run the ads from the NHL Center Ice free preview anymore. We did note the terrible ad with Zack Hyman (Edmonton) and his former Toronto teammate Morgan Reilly for Pepsi Zero Sugar. They disagree on a celly but agree on a crappy soda.

October 21 early game: CBC News app; Santiago 2023 Pan American Games (1st); Bones of Crows; CBC News app (2nd); Halloween movies (The Witch) on CBC Gem (3rd)

October 28 early game: Santiago 2023 Pan American Games; CBC News app (1st); BlackBerry; Bones of Crows; Black Life: Untold Stories (2nd); CBC News app (3rd)

November 4 early game: BlackBerry; CBC News app (1st); Santiago 2023 Pan American Games (2nd); Black Life: Untold Stories; Ghosts (3rd)

November 11 early game: CBC News app (1st); BlackBerry; Ghosts (2nd); Black Life: Untold Stories (3rd)

November 25 early game: BlackBerry; CBC News app (1st); Ghosts; Santiago Parapan American Games; BlackBerry (2nd); CBC News app (3rd)

photo credit: NHL
video credit: Rogers Sportsnet

2023 Heritage Classic wrapup: Battle of Alberta goes outdoors

One crucial element missing from the vast majority of Heritage Classic games is rivalry. Sure Montréal played Ottawa in 2017 and there have been a couple of Toronto-Detroit games. Finally, the Battle of Alberta got to be a NHL outdoor game.

True, the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers were a combined 3-10-2 going into the Heritage Classic. Connor McDavid had been injured yet was healthy enough to play in the game.

Edmonton had a 3-1 lead after the 1st period to ride a 5-2 win over Calgary at the 2023 Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on October 29.

Brett Kulak, from Stony Plain, Alberta, scored the first goal for the Oilers. Evander Kane (goal, 2 assists), Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, and Vincent Desharnais also had goals for the Oilers. A.J. Greer and Nazem Kadri scored goals for the Flames.

The loss extended the Calgary losing streak to 5 games. Edmonton snapped a 4-game losing streak.

Leon Draisaitl had 2 assists for Edmonton while Connor McDavid had an assist. Reminiscent of playing in a football stadium, Draisaitl had a solid kick of the puck after he used his broken stick, leading to a penalty.

The Oilers (left) and Flames (right) had some fun with their arrival at Commonwealth Stadium. This is part of the charm with these outdoor games.

An oddity in that both starting goalies for the game — Stuart Skinner (Edmonton) and Jacob Markstrom (Calgary) — had never started a NHL outdoor game.

Game time temperature was a reasonably comfortable 3° Celsius at puck drop.

The #Flames and Oilers will bring a combined 3-10-2 record into the Heritage Classic.

— Ryan Pike (@RyanNPike) October 27, 2023

We figured the U.S. coverage would be embarrassingly bad but Turner exceeded our low expectations. As we noted, the Heritage Classic originally didn't show up on either the TNT or ESPN schedule. Turner never sent out a release for the game. The game aired on TBS, never used for a regular season game in the current contract.

John Forslund and Eddie Olczyk called the game but weren't in Canada. Anson Carter and Jackie Redmond, who are Canadian, were on site. The studio crew wasn't used except for host Liam McHugh and somehow Brian Boucher.

There was a pregame of sorts. The best part was Wayne Gretzky explaining the history of the Battle of Alberta, like from the 1980s when he played. TBS did air the pregame ceremonies and O Canada. Of course, TBS aired no postgame for the Heritage Classic though the channel did air Nickelback. Sorry.

The NHL Network did offer the Rogers Sportsnet feed the next day but only the 90-minute version. Rogers Sportsnet was also there for Hockey Night in Canada the day before the game. They know how to cover the Heritage Classic.

2023 Heritage Classic preview: Battle of Alberta at Commonwealth Stadium

2022 Heritage Classic wrapup

2022 Heritage Classic preview

The purpose of having an outdoor game in Edmonton in 2023 was the 20th anniversary of the 2023 Heritage Classic, the NHL's first regular-season outdoor game in the modern era. The game was on Hockey Night in Canada with Chris Cuthbert on the call with Greg Millen with 57,167 fans on a very cold night at Commonwealth Stadium. The wind chill temperatures reached -30° Celsius as the Montréal Canadiens defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3.

CanadianCrossing.com Alberta coverage

Other than 2021, the Battle of Alberta has been banned from U.S. national television during the regular season. We saw promos for future U.S. outdoor games during the Heritage Classic. Turner did everything possible to not get people to watch the Battle of Alberta in the United States.

This is one of the best NHL rivalries and the NHL management doesn't care. Even Major League Soccer isn't that inept.

For those who watched, the temperatures and ice were good and made for a wonderful evening. The 2023 Heritage Classic drew 55,411 fans.

As we noted, the Canadian outdoor games don't usually get heated rivalries. Toronto and Montréal could have a rivalry game at Stade Saputo or Percival Molson Stadium but the NHL does not seem interested in an outdoor game in La Belle Province.

CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage

If you missed the NHL Network rebroadcast, we have a condensed video of highlights from the 2023 Heritage Classic in Edmonton at the top of the page.

Canadian NHL teams in outdoor games

Year	Date	Stadium	Result
2003	November 22	Commonwealth Stadium	Montréal 4, Edmonton 3
2011	February 20	McMahon Stadium	Calgary 4, Montréal 0
2014	January 1	Michigan Stadium	Toronto 3, Detroit 2 (SO)
2014	March 2	BC Place	Ottawa 4, Vancouver 2
2016	January 1	Gillette Stadium	Montréal 5, Boston 1
2016	October 23	Investors Group Field	Edmonton 3, Winnipeg 0
2017	January 1	BMO Field	Toronto 5, Detroit 4 (SO)
2017	December 16	TD Place	Ottawa 3, Montréal 0
2018	March 3	Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium	Washington 5, Toronto 2
2019	October 26	Mosaic Stadium	Winnipeg 2, Calgary 1 (OT)
2022	March 13	Tim Hortons Field	Buffalo 5, Toronto 2
2023	October 29	Commonwealth Stadium	Edmonton 5, Calgary 2

video credit: Rogers Sportsnet/NHL
photo credit: NHL
Twitter capture: @RyanNPike