VERSUS/NBC Sports Network NHL Schedule By Day of the Week: Is There An Emphasis On Quality Games For Particular Nights?

This was something I pondered over the weekend. Did certain nights of the VERSUS broadcast week (let’s ignore Thursday, Friday and Saturday, which get only a handful of games at the start and end of the season, and Sunday, which features largely flexed games) get better games than others. We’ll do it fairly simply: List all the games airing on a particular night, and then the percentage of appearances in those games filled by playoff teams.

I’ll also factor in other things: appearances by Canadian teams, appearances by the so-called “NBC Seven,” the teams that typically make up NHL on NBC games:

• Detroit
• Chicago
• Washington
• Philadelphia
• Boston
• NY Rangers
• Pittsburgh

Here we go.

Mondays

Oct. 10 – Tampa Bay vs. Washington, 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 17 – Colorado vs. Toronto, 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 31 – San Jose vs. NY Rangers, 7:00 p.m.

Nov. 7 – NY Islanders vs. Boston, 7:00 p.m.

Nov. 14 – Buffalo vs. Montreal, 7:00 p.m.

Nov. 21 – Boston vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 28 – Tampa Bay vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 – Phoenix vs. Chicago, 8:00 p.m.

Dec. 12 – New Jersey vs. Tampa Bay, 7:00 p.m.

Dec. 19 – Anaheim vs. Dallas, 8:00 p.m.

Dec. 26 – Dallas vs. St. Louis, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 2 – San Jose vs. Vancouver, 8:00 p.m.

Jan. 16 – Dallas vs. St. Louis, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 23 – St. Louis vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 6 – Detroit vs. Phoenix, 8:00 p.m.

Feb. 13 – San Jose vs. Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 20 – Washington vs. Carolina, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 27 – New Jersey vs. NY Rangers, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 5 – Buffalo vs. Winnipeg, 8:00 p.m.

Mar. 12 – Anaheim vs. Colorado, 9:00 p.m.

Mar. 19 – New Jersey vs. NY Rangers, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 26 – Tampa Bay vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

Apr. 2 – Washington vs. Tampa Bay, 7:00 p.m.

Games: 23
Appearances: 46
Appearances by 2011 Stanley Cup Playoff teams: 30 (65.2%)
Appearances by Canadian teams: 5 (10.8%)
Appearances by the “NBC Seven”: 13 (28.2%)

Tuesday

Oct. 11 – Florida vs. Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 18 – Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 25 – Tampa Bay vs. Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 1 – Anaheim vs. Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 8 – Carolina vs. New Jersey, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 15 – Colorado vs. Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 22 – Los Angeles vs. St. Louis, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 29 – Pittsburgh vs. NY Rangers, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 6 – Detroit vs. St. Louis, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 13 – San Jose vs. Colorado, 9:00 p.m.

Dec. 20 – Chicago vs. Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 27 – St. Louis vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 3 – Detroit vs. Dallas, 8:00 p.m.

Jan. 10 – San Jose vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 – Nashville vs. NY Rangers, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 – Minnesota vs. Colorado, 9:00 p.m.

Jan. 31 – Washington vs. Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 7 – Los Angeles vs. Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14 – Anaheim vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 21 – Detroit vs. Chicago, 8:00 p.m.

Feb. 28 – Los Angeles vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 6 – Minnesota vs. Colorado, 9:00 p.m.

Mar. 13 – Carolina vs. NY Rangers, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 20 – Phoenix vs. Dallas, 8:00 p.m.

Mar. 27 – Tampa Bay vs. Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Apr. 4 – Detroit vs. St. Louis, 7:30 p.m.

Games: 26
Appearances: 52
Appearances by 2011 Stanley Cup Playoff teams: 33 (63%)
Appearances by Canadian teams: 0 (0%)
Appearances by “the NBC Seven”: 18 (34.6%)

Wednesdays

Wednesdays

Oct. 12 – Boston vs. Carolina, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 2 – Philadelphia vs. Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 9 – Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 16 – New Jersey vs. Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 30 – Tampa Bay vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 – Philadelphia vs. Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 14 – Chicago vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 21 – Philadelphia vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 28 – NY Rangers vs. Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 4 – Boston vs. New Jersey, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 11 – Pittsburgh vs. Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 18 – Buffalo vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 – Detroit vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1 – NY Rangers vs. Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 8 – Boston vs. Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 15 – Boston vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 22 – Los Angeles vs. Colorado, 9:00 p.m.

Feb. 29 – Pittsburgh vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 7 – Toronto vs. Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 14 – Colorado vs. Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 21 – Detroit vs. NY Rangers, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 28 – Detroit vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m.

Apr. 4 – Detroit vs. St. Louis, 7:30 p.m.

Games: 23
Appearances: 46
Appearances by 2011 Stanley Cup Playoff teams: 35 (76%)
Appearances by Canadian teams: 3 (6.5%)
Appearances by “the NBC Seven”: 23 (50%)

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