NHL on TSN

The logo used from 2002 until the introduction of a new logo for the 2008 season.

The NHL on TSN is TSN's broadcast of National Hockey League games. The show's current incarnation debuted in 2002. The channel has exclusive local rights to the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets.

Coverage overview

TSN usually televises three or four games per week during the regular season, with their primary night being Wednesdays, when they enjoy exclusive coverage. This means that no other NHL game may be broadcast in Canada while TSN's Wednesday Night Hockey is on the air.

During the playoffs, TSN has third, fifth, seventh, and eighth choices of first-round series, second and fourth in the second round, and second in the Conference Finals. This means that there is the possibility of TSN covering a Canadian team during the playoffs.^[1] This happened during the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as TSN televised the Calgary Flames' first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks and in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Washington Capitals in seven games.

TSN owned the national cable rights to NHL games in Canada from 1987–88 through 1997–98, after which CTV Sportsnet purchased the national cable rights to NHL games. Prior to this, TSN's NHL coverage was sparse as they only acquired games a la carte. From 1987-88 to 1997-98, they usually showed games twice per week through the regular season and in the first round of the playoffs, they provided extensive coverage of series not involving Canadian-based teams.

The 1986 Canadian coverage of the NHL All-Star Game was to be provided by CTV. However, CTV had a prior commitment to carry a U.S. mini-series.^[2] As a result, TSN took over coverage of the game in Hartford.

Regional broadcasts

Toronto Maple Leafs on TSN

TSN began airing Toronto Maple Leafs games regionally, presented by Molson, in the 1998-99 season, when they lost the national contract. The package was originally for 30 games, but reduced to 17 once TSN re-acquired the national rights in 2002. Ten of those games were ones that TSN acquired from the NHL to air nationally. The other seven, TSN acquired from the Maple Leafs as regional games. However, TSN eventually came to an agreement with the other five Canadian clubs to air these games nationally. Play by play of the regional Leafs games was handled by Joe Bowen, with Harry Neale (1998-2007). The deal expired at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season and since the 2007-08 season, every Maple Leafs game on TSN has been shown nationally and covered by the regular NHL on TSN crew.

Montreal Canadiens on TSN

TSN is the exclusive regional English-language broadcaster for Montreal Canadiens games. During the 2010-11 season, TSN aired 24 Canadiens games to viewers in Quebec, Atlantic Canada and parts of Eastern Ontario (including Ottawa, Belleville, Kingston and Pembroke) on a TSN alternate feed. The network will regionally broadcast 30 Canadiens games during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. ^[3]

Dave Randorf and Mike Johnson are the broadcast team for TSN's Canadiens regional broadcasts.

TSN previously broadcast regional Canadiens games from 1998 to 2002. Paul Romanuk (1998 to 2001) and Gord Miller (2001 to 2002) were the play by play announcers and Gary Green (1998 to 2000) and Pierre McGuire (2000 to 2002) were the colour commentators.

Winnipeg Jets on TSN

On July 21, 2011, it was announced that TSN has picked up the rights to telecast games of the Winnipeg Jets. ^[4] The agreement between the Jets and TSN is for 10 years and also gives radio rights to Sports Radio 1290.

TSN Jets will broadcast more than 60 regional regular season and pre-season games to fans in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and parts of Northwestern Ontario.

The channel launched on September 20, 2011 for the Jets' first pre-season game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. ^[5]

Dennis Beyak (play-by-play), Brian Engblom (colour commentator), and Sara Orlesky (reporter) are the announcers for TSN's regional Jets broadcasts.

On-air staff

Main article: List of NHL on TSN commentating crews

James Duthie serves an in-studio host with analysts including Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, Pierre LeBrun, Marc Crawford, Aaron Ward, and Jamie McLennan. Dave Hodge, Keith Jones, Barry Melrose, Matthew Barnaby, Michael Peca, Bobby Clarke, and Darren Pang also contribute periodically in the studio. If Ray Ferraro or Mike Johnson are not doing colour commentary, they may appear as well. Gord Miller, Chris Cuthbert, Dave Randorf, and Rod Black do play-by-play for the live games, while Ray Ferraro and Mike Johnson serve as colour commentators. Darren Dutchyshen or Jennifer Hedger provide updates of other games in progress.^[6]

Former staff

The studio hosts were Jim Van Horne (1987 to 1990) and later John Wells (1989 to 1995) and Gord Miller (1995 to 1998), with Bob McKenzie providing studio analysis. Primary play-by-play broadcasters were Jim Hughson (1987 to 1994) and Paul Romanuk (1994 to 1997–98). Colour commentators were Roger Neilson (1987 to 1989) and Gary Green (1987 to 1998). Howie Meeker was also often part of the game-night crew, providing highlights and analysis with the telestrator.

When TSN re-acquired the Canadian national cable rights to NHL hockey in 2002, Pierre McGuire was hired as its lead hockey analyst. After the 2011 NHL Draft, it was announced McGuire would broadcast games exclusively on NBC Sports and Versus in the United States, while continuing to appear on TSN's hockey programs and TSN Radio.^[7]

Other broadcasters used by TSN include play-by-play announcers Dan Shulman (1994-1998), Pierre Houde (1996-97), Dennis Beyak (1997-1998, 2011-present), and Vic Rauter (2002-2003) and colour commentators Ryan Walter (1993-1998), Randy Gregg (1994-1995), and Glenn Healy (2003–08).

Theme song

In June 2008, TSN's parent, CTV Inc., acquired the rights to "The Hockey Theme" after the CBC decided not to renew its rights to the theme song. A re-orchestrated version of the tune, which has been the theme song of Hockey Night in Canada for forty years, will be used for hockey broadcasts on TSN and RDS beginning in the fall of 2008.^[8]

TSN announced on the September 24, 2008 edition of SportsCentre the debut date for the song. It began on October 14, when the Colorado Avalanche visited the Calgary Flames.

References

1. ^ TSN signs new broadcast deal with NHL
2. ^ Bostrom, Don (February 2, 1986). "NHL ALL-STARS SKATE AROUND JOAN - BARELY PRO HOCKEY". Allentown Morning Call: p. C8. 
3. ^ http://www.tsn.ca/habs/
4. ^ Jets reach broadcast agreement with TSN Winnipeg Free Press July 21, 2011
5. ^ Winnipeg Jets Regional Broadcast Schedule, TSN. August 31, 2011
6. ^ tsn.ca/ctvnews
7. ^ "McGuire leaves TSN for full-time gig in U.S". Vancouver Sun. June 28, 2011. http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/McGuire+leaves+full+time/5015684/story.html. Retrieved 11 July 2011. 
8. ^ "CTV acquires rights to hockey theme song", CTV News, June 9, 2008

External links

• NHL on TSN