If you haven’t already marked some key NHL dates on your calendars, there’s no better time than right now to do so.
We already knew the dates of the league’s major events, such as the Winter Classic in Boston on January 2, the Stadium Series in Raleigh on February 18, All-Star Weekend in Sunrise on February 3 and 4, and more. Now, we know where we’ll be able to watch these marquee events.
Like last season, the NHL will have games on ESPN/ABC and Turner Sports. ESPN will begin its coverage of the 2022-2023 season on October 11 with a doubleheader that features the New York Rangers at the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Los Angeles Kings.
In total, 103 games will air on ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu, and/or ABC this season.
The NHL’s television schedule has been announced.
As for Turner, they will begin their coverage on October 12 with the Boston Bruins versus the Washington Capitals and the Chicago Blackhawks visiting the Colorado Avalanche in a doubleheader of their own.
Below is a list of the NHL’s most prominent events and where they can be watched this year:
Winter Classic: TNT (January 2)
Skills Competition: ESPN (February 3)
All-Star Game: ESPN (February 4)
Stadium Series: ESPN (February 18)
Stanley Cup Final: TNT (TBA)
In addition to the events noted above, ABC will begin broadcasting games later in the season, highlighted by an April 8 tripleheader. TNT will have games throughout the season on Wednesday nights, and later in the year, will have Sunday afternoon games as well.
Last season seemed to be a success for the league in its first year without a partnership with NBC. The ESPN games put hockey in front of fans that may not typically follow the sport or the NHL, while games on TNT brought some of the league’s personality to the forefront.
While I think the ESPN/ABC broadcasts could be improved from last season, the TNT broadcasts, felt like home runs, and watching games there should be fun again this year.
The NHL season is only about a month away, so mark your calendars, and get ready for the return of the National Hockey League!