No shortage of hockey on TV in 2010-11

The NHL announced its national television schedules for the 2010-11 season on Wednesday and, as usual, there will be no shortage of hockey on Canadian TV.

Hockey Night In Canada has an 87-game lineup, including two pre-season match-ups and 29  all-Canadian tilts.

Toronto Maple Leafs fans can rest easily, knowing their team will be on almost every Saturday night -- in Ontariio, at least, and probably nationally. The only two Leaf-free Saturday nights are Oct. 16 and Jan. 8, because those are the only two Saturdays the Leafs don't play.

TSN and TSN2 will combine for 124 games: 76 on the main network and 48 on TSN2. For its big investment, TSN will have 70 games featuring Canadian teams. It will also air 10 doubleheaders.

The NHL Network is offering 31 games, including the Boston-Phoenix game from Prague on Oct. 10.

South of the border, Versus released its 78-game schedule -- 13 more than it aired last year.

Comments

[Brett S]

What does the schedule on Sportsnet look like this year? I heard that some Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary games will be on Sportsnet One, that should make for a lot of angry westerners. But the more games on CBC and TSN the better. The less poker and air racing the better

[Josh]

@Brett: Schedules for Sportsnet and Sportsnet One will be out later this month, but you're right - some Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary games (as well as some Ottawa games) are slotted to go on Sportsnet One.

I think it breaks down to 10 each for Edmonton and Calgary, 15 for Vancouver (these are all games that used to be PPV in those markets) and an undetermined number for Ottawa.

[danch]

Are the Sad Sack Leafs the only Cdn. team in the NHL? I can't believe every Sat. but 2 are dedicated to this team. Not hard to guess where CBC thinks the money is, sad but true.

[CanadianSportsFan]

In case anybody didn't notice the Canadiens have more games on CBC than the Leafs and more games on CBC and TSN combined than the Leafs. I also see them getting a lot more national Saturday windows than in the past (in addition to some national weekday windows). There are only 4 Saturdays where the Habs aren't playing on CBC. So unless you live in S. Ontario, then not every Saturday is "dedicated" to the Leafs. I wish people would stop bitching about the Leafs. Leafs = ratings = money which means HNIC is supporting itself so taxpayers don't have to. If you don't like watching them, then get digital cable or satellite. With satellite you get EVERY HNIC game as part of the basic package.

Josh, there should be 12 Senators games on Sportsnet One. TSN/TSN2 combine for 12, CBC has 18 and Sportsnet East's contract is for 40 (they can't move these games to One). So that leaves 12 for One. I'd take games on One over PPV anyday (and don't worry Shaw/Bell will add it by hockey season).

[Brett S]

I just wish CBC had more than one HD channel on Shaw Satellite. I can watch the Habs or Sens when the Leafs are on, but the Toronto station is the only one available in HD which flat out sucks.

[Rick Grace]

I don't blame CBC for keying on the Leafs every year.
They are still a ratings winner despite being an awful team.
And if somehow they can pull an Argos and surprise this year, CBC will reap the benefits.
A good Leafs team in the race all year can top 3 million viewers.
And don't even mention what they would do if they ever made the playoffs!
No team outside of the Habs can do that for CBC's English network.

[Clevie Baron]

I am a huge hockey fan, I have played and watched the game for most of my 40 years, but I refuse to pay ANY additional cable/satellite/PPV fees in order to get these extra channels to watch the NHL. I will watch whatever I get via my current basic cable package, and that's it (so basically whatever is on CBC, TSN, or regular Sportsnet).
I realize this means that I am going to miss out on what is sure to be a "barn-burner" of a matchup between Boston and Phoenix from Prague that only the NHL Network is showing, but so be it.

PS Hey danch, Leafs rule.

[Plankton]

What happened to the proposed new MLSE channel that could potentially carry all non-CBC Leaf games, Raptors, Toronto FC, Marlies, and maybe even other sports? I thought their application for this new mainstream sports channel had already been approved?

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-395.htm

I understand that, under the present non-competitive CRTC regulatory framework, TSN or Sportsnet could afford to pay more for rights than MLSE could earn by putting them on Leafs TV. But a year from now, it's open competition between all Canadian news and sports channels. Why would MLSE not want to control most or all their teams' games and earn the money directly themselves, and presumably raise the profile of their money-losing TV operations and their other teams? Some may cringe at the thought of yet another sports channel and viewers possibly being shut out, but I doubt even Rogers could get away for very long with refusing to carry an MLSE channel airing most Leaf games to GTA viewers.

[CanadianSportsFan]

I agree Brett. I've emailled them about carrying CBC Montreal in the past for that every reason and they just give a canned response. I've even asked for CBC Vancouver for when the Habs game is the national game and it doesn't sound like they will be carrying it anytime soon. It would be nice for timeshifting of Rick Mercer, 22 Minutes etc. too.

[Hoofheartz]

Surely all you Leaf haters can figure out how to get RDS. They carry every single Habs game. The advantages to this are twofold. You could watch the Habs AND we wouldn't have to listen to the constant whining about the Leafs being on CBC most Saturday nights.

[diana]

Spare us.
Too much hockey.
Too much Ron and Don.
Over to another channel!!!