The Suitor Tutor, Part 5: The Glorious Conclusion, and Our Suggestion For Where the NHL Should Go Next on TV

With the NHL nearing a new TV contact, a multi-part series, “The Suitor Tutor”, takes a look at the potential bidders for NHL hockey.

Before we start, a thank you for reading this entire series.  The numbers for the site have been very good for a niche inside a niche blog in August. Perhaps its the Kovalchuk nonsense that’s kept you into the sport when you usually would’ve strayed to other activities, or maybe you just wanna be pals. Whatever the case, your readership is appreciated.  Thank you.  Now, onto the good stuff.

NHL Plans to Release TV Schedule Next Monday

Synchronize your watches, curious commenters.  Schuyler Baehman answers your burning question:

Plan is to announce the national TV skeds for the 2010-11 NHL regular-season a week from today (Monday, Aug. 16)

Now you know.

NHL Pre-Season Schedule

NEW YORK (August 9, 2010) — An historic number of NHL clubs playing international games highlights the National Hockey League’s 2010-11 pre-season schedule, the dates and start times of which were announced today. Six clubs — the Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets — will play a total of seven games throughout Europe as they prepare to open the regular season overseas in the 2010 Compuware NHL Premiere.

The Bruins, making their first overseas appearance in 50 years, will play pre-season games in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Oct. 2 and Liberec, Czech Republic on Oct. 5 in advance of the their two-game regular-season opener against the Coyotes in Prague Oct. 9-10. The Coyotes will tune up for their showdown with the Bruins by traveling to Riga, Latvia for a game against Dinamo Riga on Oct. 6.

The Wild and Hurricanes, who start the regular season with a two-game set in Helsinki, Finland Oct. 7-8, will prepare with pre-season games in nearby cities Oct. 4. The Wild travel north to Tampere, Finland to take on Ilves, while the Hurricanes head east to St. Petersburg, Russia for a match against SKA St. Petersburg.

The Sharks and Blue Jackets, who launch the regular season in Stockholm, Sweden with games on Oct. 8-9, each will play one pre-season contest in Europe. The Sharks visit Mannheim, Germany (vs. Adler Mannheim, Oct. 2); the Blue Jackets go to Malmo, Sweden (vs. Malmo/Rogle, Oct. 5).

The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks open their pre-season schedule Sept. 22 with a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the hometown of Blackhawks captain and Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP Jonathan Toews.

Also that evening, the Pittsburgh Penguins open their pre-season schedule with the first hockey game ever played at the 18,087-capacity CONSOL Energy Center when they face the Detroit Red Wings.

The people of Dundas, Ontario, winners of the Canada-wide Kraft Hockeyville contest, will celebrate the grand prize when the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators play a pre-season game in their community Sept. 28.

The schedule features several other contests that will be played outside NHL cities, including Las Vegas, Nev. (Colorado vs. Los Angeles, Oct. 2); London, Ont. (Philadelphia vs. Toronto, Sept. 23); Rochester, N.Y. (Boston vs. Florida, Sept. 23); Quebec City, Que. (Montreal vs. NY Islanders, Oct. 2) and Saskatoon, Sask. (Calgary vs. NY Islanders, Sept. 29).

The 2010-11 NHL regular season opens Oct. 7.

2010-11 NHL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)

TUESDAY, SEPT. 21

Ottawa at Toronto, 7 p.m.

New Jersey at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Florida at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Columbus at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

Colorado at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Vancouver at Calgary (split squads), 9 p.m.

Calgary at Vancouver (split squads), 10 p.m.

Phoenix at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22

Ottawa at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Washington at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Boston at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

St. Louis at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Chicago vs. Tampa Bay, at Winnipeg, Man. (MTS Centre), 8 p.m.

Los Angeles at Colorado, 9 p.m.

San Jose at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

Edmonton at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 23

New Jersey at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia vs. Toronto, at London, Ont. (John Labatt Centre), 7 p.m.

Boston vs. Florida, at Rochester, N.Y. (Blue Cross Arena), 7 p.m.

Carolina at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

Los Angeles at Phoenix (split squads), 10 p.m.

Phoenix at Los Angeles (split squads), 10:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 24

Philadelphia at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Nashville at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Ottawa at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Minnesota at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Colorado at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Anaheim at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 25

Montreal at Ottawa, 7 p.m.

Carolina at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

Florida at Boston, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

NY Rangers at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Columbus at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Washington at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Detroit at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Philadelphia at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

St. Louis at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Calgary, 9 p.m.

Anaheim at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

San Jose at Phoenix (split squads), 10 p.m.

Phoenix at San Jose (split squads), 10:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 26

NY Rangers at Detroit, 5 p.m.

Minnesota at Montreal, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Edmonton, 8 p.m.

St. Louis at Colorado, 9 p.m.

MONDAY, SEPT. 27

Buffalo at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Florida at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Atlanta at Nashville, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 28

Buffalo vs. Ottawa, at Dundas, Ont. (J.L. Grightmire Market St. Arena), 7 p.m.

Philadelphia at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Boston at Washington, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Minnesota at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Dallas at Colorado, 9 p.m.

Phoenix at Calgary, 9 p.m.

San Jose at Vancouver, 10 p.m.

Anaheim at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 29

Washington at Boston, 7 p.m.

Detroit at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.

Nashville at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

NY Islanders (split squad) at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.

Carolina at Florida, 7:30 p.m.

Calgary vs. NY Islanders (split squad), at Saskatoon, Sask. (Credit Union Centre), 8 p.m.

Phoenix at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

Vancouver at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 30

Buffalo at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Chicago at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Columbus at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Colorado at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 1

Atlanta at Carolina, 1:30 p.m.

Toronto at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Buffalo at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

NY Islanders at New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Ottawa at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.

Columbus at Washington, 7 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Florida, 7:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

Calgary at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

Vancouver at Anaheim, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCT. 2

San Jose vs. Adler Mannheim, at Mannheim, Germany (SAP Arena), 1:30 p.m.

Boston vs. Belfast Giants Select, at Belfast, N. Ireland (Odyssey Arena), 2 p.m.

Atlanta at Columbus, 6 p.m.

Detroit at Toronto, 7 p.m.

NY Rangers at Ottawa, 7 p.m.

New Jersey at NY Islanders (split squad), 7 p.m.

Montreal vs. NY Islanders (split squad), at Quebec City, Que. (Colisée Pepsi), 7 p.m.

Florida at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

Dallas at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Colorado vs. Los Angeles, at Las Vegas, Nev. (MGM Grand), 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, OCT. 3

Nashville at Washington, 12:30 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Detroit, 5 p.m.

Philadelphia at Buffalo, 6 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago, 6 p.m.

Edmonton at Calgary, 8 p.m.

Los Angeles at Anaheim, 8 p.m.

MONDAY, OCT. 4

Carolina vs. SKA St. Petersburg, at St. Petersburg, Russia (Ledovy Arena), 11 a.m.

Minnesota vs. Ilves Tampere, at Tampere, Finland (Jaahalli Arena), noon.

TUESDAY, OCT. 5

Columbus vs. Malmo/Rogle BK, at Malmo, Sweden (Malmo Arena), 1 p.m.

Boston vs. HC Liberec, at Liberec, Czech Republic (Tipsport Arena), 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 6

Phoenix vs. Dinamo Riga, at Riga, Latvia (Arena Riga), noon.

The Suitor Tutor, Part 4: Where the NHL Network Factors in This

With the NHL nearing a new TV contact, a multi-part series, “The Suitor Tutor”, takes a look at the potential bidders for NHL hockey.

One of the things that I am constantly self-inquisitive about is where the NHL Network can go next.  What is the potential for this now nine years old (coming up on three in the United States) network to possibly grow.

It is obvious that something has to happen in the next contract to ensure NHL Net takes a leap forward.  They’ve been lapped multiple times by NBATV, MLB Network and NFL Network in the past few years.  All three of those stations are more professional, provide more informative programming for hardcore consumers of the product, have more HD production, more games aired, more originally produced games aired, and overall just look cleaner than the poor NHL Net.  In a way,t he NHL Network has represented the NHL’s presence as a whole in the American sports marketplace.

Here’s three things the NHL needs to do in the next contract:

1. Get a Thursday night, originally-produced, Game of the Week

This is a must.  In addition to the simulcast of Hockey Night in Canada, NHL Network should have a functioning Game of the Week every week of the season. Use some of your studio hosts as play-by-play men, and get Bill Clement or Billy Jaffe to do analyst work, since neither are tethered full-time to a team currently.

2. Call dibs on all previously un-televised playoff games.

NHL Network aired two playoff games during the 2009 playoffs, and none during 2010. This must end.  Sorry to those who pay for NHL Center Ice, but that is simply something that shouldn’t exist during the playoffs.  All NHL games in the post-season need to be available to as much of an audience as possible.

3. All HD, All the Time

In this day and age, no specialty network like the NHL Net should be going without as much HD programming as humanly possible. On the Fly, whatever radio shows are being simulcast, should look like a professional studio show, not a cheap ESPNews rip-off.

Welcome to Your Week

Hello. This will be a busy day due to Kovalchuk. Bear with me.

Please support the Amazon links I have posted on the sidebar.  Check out some of the stuff I’m promoting, and if you buy them, I get a cut.  Help support Puck the Media and get some really cool books, music and comedy.  Got a suggestion of a book or song I should put up there?  Want me to advertise your band’s album available for purchase on Amazon?  E-mail me at SMLepore@comcast.net.

I’ll even feature it in this little section where I show videos.  Go on.

Stuff That May Be Worth Watching For at the Development Camp Televised By NHL Net

TORONTO (August 6, 2010) – The National Hockey League today revealed the various potential rule changes, rink modifications and strategic innovations that will be tested during the 2010 NHL Research, Development and Orientation Camp fueled by G Series August 18-19.

The camp, which will comprise four on-ice sessions over two days at the Toronto Maple Leafs practice facility (400 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke, ON), will feature more than 30 of the top prospects eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Participating players will be announced next week.

“I think everyone involved with the NHL thinks that our game is in really good shape,” said Brendan Shanahan, NHL Vice President of Hockey and Business Development. “I think that this is just a way of being progressive and keeping ourselves well informed of not just the fact that things work but why they work. Most companies or industries have research and development and that’s exactly what this is: it’s studying our own product.”

Two veteran NHL coaches — Ken Hitchcock and Dave King — will take part in the Camp and will be challenging the prospects with strategies which emphasize offensive play and creating scoring chances.

“We’re very fortunate to have coaches of the caliber of Ken Hitchcock and Dave King working with these talented young players,” Shanahan said. “Ken and Dave are two men who never turn off their hockey brains. They’re always thinking of ways to make the game better and to approach game strategy from different and innovative angles.”

Media wishing to attend should email Jennifer Raimondi (jraimondi@nhl.com) to apply for accreditation. Media are advised that there will be limited working space at the facility. There will be a media briefing following each session scrimmage. Session agendas are below:

Wednesday August 18 (all times ET; subject to change)

10:00 a.m. – Noon

Hybrid icing rule;

No line change for team committing an offside;

Crease reset rule;

Face-off variation (face-off controlled by whistle in place of traditional puck drop);

Overtime: three minutes of 4-on-4; three minutes of 3-on-3; three minutes of 2-on- 2 followed by shootout (5 players per team).

2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Bigger crease;

Verification goal line (additional line situated behind the goal line);

Wider blue lines;

Line changes zone in front of each bench;

Face-off variations (infringement results in the offending player moving back further, three face-off dots down the middle of the ice);

No icing the puck while shorthanded;

OT – three minutes of 4-on-4; three minutes of 3-on-3; three minutes of 2-on-2 with long line changes; followed by three shooters per team shootout (if tied after three shots then players who have shot previously can shoot again).

Thursday August 19 (all times ET; subject to change)

9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

No touch icing;

Team that commits an offside infraction cannot make a line change and face-off is in offending team zone;

Face-off variation: after a face-off violation, opposition center may choose his face-off opponent;

Second referee located off the playing surface;

Delayed penalty rule

No icing the puck while shorthanded;

OT – 4-on-4 (with long line change) followed by a shootout with five players.

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Variations of special teams play;

OT – 4-on-4 (with long line change).

The Suitor Tutor, Part 3: All The Rest

With the NHL nearing a new TV contact, a multi-part series, “The Suitor Tutor”, takes a look at the potential bidders for NHL hockey.

The Suitor (#1): FOX, and likely it’s corporate cable siblings FSN and FX.

The Numbers: In 1994, the NHL was on the rise and used that rise to win itself a big money, national network TV deal.  FOX, which had only launched a half-decade earlier and drunk with power after  outbidding competing CBS for the NFL, proceeded to also outbid competing CBS for the NHL with a 5-year, $155 million contract.  One would hope the NHL can get more money than that this time around but … we’ll believe it when I see it.

The Ratings

Regular Season

1995 2.0
1996 2.1
1997 1.9
1998 1.4
1999 1.4

All-Star Game

1996 4.1*
1997 2.8*
1998 2.7
1999 2.2

*-Aired in primetime

Stanley Cup Final

1995 3.4
1996 3.6
1997 4.0
1998 3.3
1999 3.4

(Source: Andrew’s Dallas Stars Page)

The Story: FOX did the best job comprehensively covering NHL hockey that the league has ever seen from a network in 1998.  With an Olympic break in between, FOX aired 11 consecutive weeks of regional hockey action, airing up to 6 games in a regional window from January through April.  In 1999, they cut the regional games in half, though still aired 11 straight weeks of games.

The problem – aside from slipping ratings – was that the network could never catch a break when it came to the Stanley Cup Final.  They would air three of the four games they had rights to cover once, two twice, and one twice.  FOX only aired a total of nine Final telecasts in five year.  For comparison, NBC has aired 21 Stanley Cup games in five years, and ABC aired 22 in it’s five years.  Part of that is just luck and part of it is not having the rights to all seven games of the Final.

That is something FOX wanted to rectify in the next contract.  However, the NHL completely dicked over FOX in a story you can read here.  Network and league have been sour on the national level ever since.

The Verdict: If you get a decent offer and exposure from FOX, with FX thrown in, take it.  FOX’s media empire is able to promote anything, even hockey for awhile.  But I don’t see where the NHL could fit in.

The Suitor: CBS and its sports partner in crime of late, Turner

The Numbers: As was mentioned earlier, CBS was outbid by FOX in 1994, and the network hasn’t aired NHL hockey on a regular basis since the early 70′s.  Neither TNT nor TBS have ever aired NHL hockey.

The Story: The NHL would practically match Turner Sports with the ESPN empire, giving them rights to the MLB postseason, NBA postseason and the NCAA Tournament (occasionally the championship game) in addition to the NHL and likely the Stanley Cup Final.  CBS has some room in it’s schedule after NFL season, but it would have to work hockey around college hoops.

However, one wonders if there’s really enough interest in the NHL for any bidders beyond VERSUS/NBC and ESPN/ABC.  We shall see.

The Verdict: Again, by all means take the money if it’s the right deal.  But until further notice, just not the right fit, in my opinion.

The Suitor Tutor, Part 2: The ESPN Question

With the NHL nearing a new TV contact, a multi-part series, “The Suitor Tutor”, takes a look at the potential bidders for NHL hockey.

The Suitor: ESPN and, presumably, it’s corporate partner ABC.

The Numbers: The NHL signed a five-year, $600 million contract with Disney in 1998 to broadcast games from 1999-2004.  ABC chose not to renew after ’04, and ESPN was outbid by VERSUS coming out of the lockout.  They have profits in the untold hundreds of millions.

The Ratings

ABC

Regular Season
2000 1.3
2001 1.1
2002 1.4
2003 1.1
2004 1.1

All-Star Game

2000 2.7
2001 1.7
2002 1.8
2003 1.7
2004 1.8

Stanley Cup Final
2000 3.7
2001 3.3
2002 3.6
2003 2.9
2004 2.6

ESPN
Regular Season
2001-02 0.49
2002-03 0.46
2003-04 0.47

Stanley Cup Final
1999 2.2
2000 1.6
2001 1.6
2002 2.5
2003 1.1
2004 1.0

ESPN2

Regular Season
2001-02 0.23
2002-03 0.23
2003-04 0.24

(Source: Andrew’s Dallas Stars Page)

The Suitor Tutor’s Fang Forecheck: On NBC and VERSUS

EDITOR’s NOTE: as part of our series ‘The Suitor Tutor’, I asked Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites to help me out with some additional analysis.  However, since I told him the wrong day because I’m an idiot, we got our days mixed up.  So I’ve given him his own platform to chime in on Part 1 of the series on NBC and VERSUS.  Enjoy, and Part 2 of ‘The Suitor Tutor’ will show up at 1:00 PM ET.

THE STATE OF VERSUS/NBC
As my esteemed blogging colleague Steve Lepore did so well today in going over Versus’ and NBC’s tenure with the NHL through the last five years, let me give you a quick overview of the partnership. I’ll divide this into two eras, the first from 2005-2007 which I’ll name The Great Depression and from 2008-present which I’ll call The Era of Good Feelings.

When NBC and Versus entered into the hockey broadcasting business, the NHL was coming off a devastating lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season. So let’s take a quick look at the two eras and come to a conclusion where we’re headed with a looming TV contract negotiation.

THE GREAT DEPRESSION, 2005-2007

When Versus started airing games in 2005, it was known as OLN. It had a distribution that was lacking, but Commissioner Gary Bettman pledged patience and said the viewers would come. As the first ratings came out, it appeared the joke would be on Bettman as viewership sank well below ESPN’s levels. OLN’s game presentation looked like something out of the 1970′s production handbook with angles that made the viewer feel he or she was watching from the back row of the arena.

For NBC, things weren’t much better. Ratings were low. While production was on a par with CBC and TSN, the ratings didn’t reward NBC. In addition, the NHL was not receiving a rights fee as NBC entered into a revenue sharing agreement with the league.

Both networks showed growing pains such as NBC shuffling an overtime playoff game to Versus in favor of pre-race coverage of the Preakness Stakes. Versus wasn’t immune from bad decisions as it quickly dumped out of NHL playoff coverage for Professional Bull Riding.

Ratings for the Stanley Cup Final reached dangerously low levels as the 2006 and 2007 series involved both involved a small market U.S. team vs. a team from Canada. Neither final set the world on fire and they set record low ratingsl.

As both entered the 2007-08 season, there was no reason to believe that the trend would change. Unless the NHL had a matchup involving two of its marquee teams, the NHL’s ratings would stay in the basement.

THE ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS, 2008-PRESENT

In the final year of Versus’ first three year contract with the NHL, something happened. Viewers started watching the the NHL again. It wasn’t in droves, but it was enough of an uptick to make the NHL notice. The league rewarded Versus with a new contract, although some including yours truly felt it wasn’t deserved.

It was in this era where Versus came into its own with better game production and finding a decent host in Bill Patrick to lead its studio show, Hockey Central.

With the concept of the NHL Winter Classic that gave NBC surprisingly good ratings against college football bowl games on New Year’s Day, the Peacocks also found ratings momentum. And with the two Pittsburgh-Detroit Stanley Cup Finals in 2008 and 2009, the US TV partners finally got ratings gold. It gave Commissioner Bettman ammunition against the NHL Players Association which wanted the league to return to ESPN.

And this year with the Vancouver Winter Olympics giving the NHL a huge boost, ratings soared for the postseason on both Versus and NBC. Plus having the resurgence of the Chicago Blackhawks gave the league a huge boost with one of its Original Six teams back on top.

So where does this leave us with the negotiations coming up for both networks? There’s no doubt that the NHL would love to see NBC pay a rights fee. After five seasons and going into a sixth with revenue sharing, the league wants some cold hard cash. But the question is, would NBC be willing to pay up?

Well, the whole game changes as Versus’ parent company, Comcast is purchasing NBC. With NBC Universal almost a distant memory and its fiscal responsibility just about out the window, there’s a feeling that a combined Versus/NBC would pay to keep the NHL. In addition, Versus has been able to get other sports albeit not the NFL or MLB, develop some signature programming (The Daily Line) and is a potential player for in rights negotiation in the future.

I’ll explore what potential partners could provide for the NHL in the coming days, but the current team definitely has an advantage over ESPN and Fox. For one, Commissioner Bettman is squarely in the corners of NBC and in particular, Versus. Two, Bettman has an interest in keeping Versus around having put his eggs in the Comcast basket when the network was in its infancy and not drawing viewers. And three, NBC gives the NHL huge promotional power for the Winter Classic.

A combined Versus/NBC entity would make for good partners for the league. It would provide a strong TV entity similar to what the NHL had with ESPN/ABC in the early half of the aughts.

The big question is also about the Olympics in 2014. If NBC is successful in bidding for the 2014 Games in Sochi, expect Versus to carry most of the hockey tournament, which was divided on cable between CNBC, MSNBC and USA Network this year. Also, the NHL has yet to agree to play in Russia, but the players want it and so do the networks. If NBC and Versus stay with the NHL and subsequently gain the Olympics, the promotion from Comcast would only help the league.

In handicapping the renewal for Versus/NBC for the 2011-12 season and beyond, it’s about even money at this point. Of course, the 800 lb. gorilla in the room for the NHL and any league is ESPN and we’ll explore their potential for re-entry into the hockey broadcasting business tomorrow.

Official Details on Heritage Classic

NEW YORK (August 4, 2010) – Representatives from the National Hockey League, the National Hockey League Players’ Association, the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens met today at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium in advance of the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic™, the regular-season outdoor game to be played Sunday, February 20, 2011. The League, the Flames and the Canadiens today also unveiled the game-day jerseys specially designed for each team for the event.

The 2011 NHL Heritage Classic marks the first regular-season NHL game contested outdoors in Canada since the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium on November 22, 2003. CBC and RDS will carry the game in Canada and VERSUS will telecast the outdoor match in the United States. NHL Radio™ will have the live action across North American radio. NHL Network™ will provide pre- and post-game programming, and NHL.com will provide extensive digital coverage.

“The Flames and Canadiens, two teams with so much history, will resume a rivalry that is so much a part of the National Hockey League’s proud heritage. Our first regular-season outdoor game was played in Canada, and we’re excited to be coming back for the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium Feb. 20,” said Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the National Hockey League.

The Flames and Canadiens are the only clubs to have contested an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final in the 40-plus years of the NHL’s expansion era (since 1968), doing so twice in a four-season span. The Canadiens captured their 23rd Stanley Cup by defeating the Flames in five games in 1985-86 and the Flames won their first and only Stanley Cup in a six-game triumph over the Canadiens in 1988-89. Professional hockey was firmly established in Calgary in 1921 when the Calgary Tigers helped form the Western Canada Hockey League becoming the first major professional team in Calgary. The Tigers competed a total of eleven seasons in four leagues, winning four championships during their existence.

Both clubs boast a strong cross-country following and own long home sellout streaks. The Canadiens have drawn capacity crowds at Bell Centre for each of their past 248 regular-season and playoff games since January 2004, while the Flames have posted 230 consecutive sellouts at Pengrowth Saddledome since April 2004. These two teams will have one match-up prior to the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic when the Canadiens host the Flames on January 17th.

“The Calgary Flames are honoured to be hosting the Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium. Calgary and Montreal have a storied past having faced each other in two Stanley Cup finals and we are pleased to be able to restore that rivalry on this grand stage with an outdoor game,” said Ken King, President and CEO Calgary Flames. “The Flames organization, the city of Calgary and Flames fans everywhere are very excited about this very special event highlighted by the opportunity to see NHL action in a classic winter setting.”

“The entire Montreal Canadiens organization is thrilled to be part of this exciting event. We look forward to this celebration of hockey on Canadian soil and welcome the opportunity to revive our longtime rivalry with the Calgary Flames,” said Pierre Boivin, President of the Montreal Canadiens. “We had the privilege of playing in the first Heritage Classic, back in 2003, and we are pleased and honoured to have been invited for this outdoor showdown at McMahon Stadium.”

“An NHL game between two Canadian teams on an outdoor rink in Calgary is a unique way to celebrate the special place that hockey holds in Canadian culture,” said Mike Ouellet, NHLPA Chief of Business Affairs. “Taking the ice for the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic is something that players on the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens will undoubtedly cherish as a career highlight.”

“CBC is extremely proud to broadcast the NHL Heritage Classic,” said Scott Moore, Executive Director, CBC Sports and General Manager of Media Sales and Marketing. “CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada was there when Edmonton hosted the first Heritage Classic in 2003, and we’re excited to be headed to Calgary this time around. It promises to be a memorable evening for fans of the Flames, the Canadiens and Canadian hockey fans across the country.”

“The Winter Classic has become a highly anticipated annual event and we’re excited to be able to televise the NHL’s first outdoor game on cable with the Heritage Classic,” said Jamie Davis, President of VERSUS. “Each season we try to find different ways to deepen our NHL coverage. Last year we added several games following the Olympic break and extended coverage throughout the playoffs, leading to record postseason viewership. Broadcasting the Heritage Classic is another example of how we work very closely with the NHL to further super-serve hockey fans.”

“RDS was proud to provide thousands of hockey fans with the opportunity to witness this historic event back in 2003, broadcasting the first NHL regular season outdoor game, as the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium,” said Domenic Vanelli, Vice President of Production at RDS. “The entire RDS broadcast team has fond memories of this outstanding event and we look forward to, once again, bring all the excitement of the Heritage Classic featuring the Flames and Canadiens from McMahon Stadium to our viewers.”

The Flames will wear a fusion design jersey honoring the history of professional hockey in Calgary for the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium on February 20, 2011 versus the Montreal Canadiens.

The Flames worked with the design team at Reebok to create the vintage look. The jersey features the same jersey striping pattern with a beige Flames C logo in a vintage felt application. The uniform is a deeper red color with gold stripes and will include the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic logo patch on the front.

Montreal will wear their current away (white) jersey which will also contain the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic patch on the front, right chest. Modifications to the player numbers on the jersey will reflect the numbering color combinations worn on their white jerseys throughout their history, specifically how the numbers appeared during both the 1986 and 1989 Stanley Cup Final series against the Calgary Flames.

2011 NHL Heritage Classic jerseys for both Calgary and Montreal will be available for pre-orders now through Shop.NHL.com, calgaryflames.com and montrealcanadiens.com.

The NHL Heritage Classic jerseys were designed by Reebok, the Official Outfitter of the NHL®, who collaborated with both teams to create two jerseys that are unique and true to the histories and traditions of the clubs.

Additional information surrounding the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic, including ticketing information, will be announced in the coming months. Fans can register online at www.nhl.com to receive alerts and ticket information on the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic, as well as other NHL news, events and offers. The NHL will again work with the host team, the Flames, to set aside tickets specifically for use by local youth hockey organizations.

Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will battle Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on New Year’s Day in a regular-season game at Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, at 1 p.m. ET. The 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will mark the fourth consecutive season the NHL has played a regular-season outdoor game on New Year’s Day. The Buffalo Sabres hosted the Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium on New Year’s Day 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Day 2009 and the Boston Bruins hosted the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park on New Year’s Day 2010.