NHL Net Canada’s Live Game Schedule

Guess what, Canadians with cable?  You get another 30 games to go along with the 70+ from HNIC and 120+ from TSN.  NHL Network announced it’s simulcasting schedule for the 2009-10 season.  Those looking to find out NHL Net’s original broadcasts this season are likely going to have to keep looking, as none of these games feature Canadian teams.  Enjoy after the jump.  Be prepared for a ton of San Jose.

Your Morning Music Breakdown

Hey Wednesday.

Not only is hockey on tv today (!), but we’re going to see some live hockey this afternoon at the Rock for free.

It’s gonna be a great day.

Hockey and Pearl Jam tell me that.  On with the day.

Legendary Bruins Voice Fred Cusick Dies at 90

Sad news today.  One of hockey in America’s classic voices, Fred Cusick, has passed away.

More details from The Bruins Blog.

Bruins fans, what are some of your favorite memories of the man who called Bruins games for more than 40 years?

TSN Adds MacTavish, Understands the Value of Fresh Blood in it’s Commentators, Unlike Certain Other Cable Channels

From TSN itself, the announcement that Craig MacTavish will join the gang as a studio analyst:

TSN welcomes a new recruit to its roster with NHL coach Craig MacTavish joining the NHL ON TSN broadcast team as a guest analyst for the 2009-10 season.

MacTavish will have 25 appearances in studio, making his broadcast debut on Monday, Sept. 21 during the pre-season game featuring Pittsburgh @ Montreal at 7:30 p.m. ET on TSN2.  MacTavish, a former NHL player and head coach, will also contribute regularly to SPORTSCENTRE and be a part of the studio panel for the network’s two-hour NHL ON TSN SEASON PREVIEW SHOW on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. ET (encore at 11 p.m. ET on TSN2).

TSN continues to bulk up it’s talent for the 123 games they will be airing on TSN/TSN2.

Not Televising All 82 Games Across 2 Networks Are Teams’ Most Egregious Sin

The Anaheim Ducks have announced their 2009-10 TV schedule.  Now usually, this would elicit nothing more than a bullet-point on the Monday local TV roundup.  However, the Ducks awful TV schedule brings me to a clueless technicality of the NHL team’s TV schedules.

See, the Ducks have 69 games on local TV.  Three will air as part of the LA Kings TV package.  50 will air on FS Prime and FS West.  16 more will be televised on local independent station KDOC out of LA.

So, let us recap.  This is three networks covering one hockey team.  Yet, there are 13 games untelevised.  It would only require PRIME and KDOC another 6-7 games to get the entire schedule on TV in the country’s 2nd largest media market.  We understand the challenges of travel and costs of televising especially a Western Conference team’s games, but four of the untelecasted games are home tilts, and six of them are at least in the Mountain Time Zone, if not the Pacific.

This is similar to what the St. Louis Blues had going on with FS Midwest and the team’s local CW affiliate.  It’s the same as what Minnesota has been doing with FS North and KSTC.  Why teams have two networks willing to televise their games, yet won’t air all 82 is an even larger disservice to that team’s fans.

Your Morning Music Breakdown

Tuesday.  We’ll have some stuff we missed from the time off today, hopefully something new.

All you sniveling indie kids, hold steady.

What the Hell, Let’s Have an Open Thread For Hockey on TV

Kraft Hockeyville – NY Islanders vs. Vancouver, 10:30 PM ET

National TV (US/CAN): NHL Network (HD), CBC (Tape Delay)

Regional TV (NYI): MSG Plus (HD)

Regional TV (VAN): Rogers Sportsnet Pacific (HD), Canucks.com

We Join Another Blog, Are Still Here

Come hang out here with us at In Lou We Trust.  Cheers to Fischer and Tibbs for inviting me.

Local TV Roundup: 2 Weeks Worth of TV Updates

Teams covered in previous weeks: Los Angeles, Washington, Calgary, Minnesota, Columbus, Toronto, Montreal.

Today’s Roundup:

• The Atlanta Thrashers have 61 games on local TV, while none will air on VERSUS.  The more important information is that TV voice JP Delacamera will not return to the team’s booth.  One has to think that his duties as the voice of soccer in the United States proved just too prohibiting.  Matt McConnell, the team’s voice on TV during the 99-00 and 02-03 seasons, will return to SportSouth and FS South’s booths with Darren Eliot.
• The noatbly snubbed by VERSUS Carolina Hurricanes have 65 of their 82 games on FS Carolinas, which is unacceptable for that fanbase, but whatever.  These teams need to discover for themselves that a larger presence on local TV is such a valuable promotional tool.
• The Chicago Blackhawks are a team that recognizes this.  I know, right!  The Hawks, for the 2nd year in a row, will have all 82 games on TV (in HD) via CSN Chicago, local outlet WGN, VERSUS and NBC.  54 games are on the Comcast network, while 17-20 (depending on NBC’s Game of the Week picks) will air on WGN, almost exclusively on weekends.  CSN will also air a pre-season game, “Classic” Hawks matchups from last year’s playoff run, and coverage of the team’s training camp festival.
• The Stars, strangely enough, have 81 games potentially on local TV.  70 will air on FS Southwest and FS Southwest+.  All home telecasts and select road games will be in high definition.  Five games air on VERSUS, while one is a potential NBC game, with no back-up plan when it isn’t chosen.  However, the season’s last game vs. Minnesota is listed as “TBD”.  This needs to change, as it could be Mike Modano’s final NHL game.  We hope the Stars will rectify this.
• The Red Wings quietly post their TV schedule.  Once again, the Red Wings are a model franchise with all 82 games on FS Detroit or FS Detroit+ (in addition to the national networks).  However, no HD plans have been announced as of yet.
• The Florida Panthers have 73 games on local TV, 2nd most of the Southeast Division teams, plus newsmagazines and a pre-season special.  71 games air on FS Florida, while 1 will air on VERSUS, another on NHL Network and 6 more will be un-blacked out on Center Ice.
• 68 Ottawa Senators games are on local/national TV.  However, the team does run a pay-per-view service, so we’ll re-visit that when they announce it.
• Finally, 66 Tampa Bay Lightning games have TV coverage.  Sun Sports will carry 65, while VERSUS airs one.

Your Morning Music Breakdown

So, we came back after a long break.  But we’re recharged.

We have big news today.  About us.  Stuff that will affect this site, sort of.  Maybe.

You’ll hear about that later.  Local TV stuff for Noon-time.

We’re ready to be new again.