Broadcast News: Finally, Some Hope For the Canadian Networks

(NOTE: This will show up every Monday on Puck the Media. It’s something we did a couple of times last season. They were fairly popular, and people liked talking about them, so let’s try it on a more permanent basis this year.)

Matchups:

EAST:

#8 Atlanta vs. #1 Washington
#7 Montreal vs. #2 New Jersey
#6 Ottawa vs. #3 Buffalo
#5 Boston vs. #4 Pittsburgh

WEST:

#8 Calgary vs. #1 Chicago
#7 Vancouver vs. #2 San Jose
#6 Nashville vs. #3 Colorado
#5 Los Angeles vs. #4 Phoenix

Canadian Networks’ Draft

#1 (CBC): Vancouver vs. San Jose
#2 (CBC): Montreal vs. New Jersey
#3 (TSN): Calgary vs. Chicago
#4 (CBC): Ottawa vs. Buffalo
#5 (TSN): Boston vs. Pittsburgh
#6 (CBC): Phoenix vs. Los Angeles
#7-8 (TSN): Nashville-Colorado and Atlanta-Washington

The CBC and TSN finally luck out by getting some Canadian series to pick from if the season ended today.  Out of the four potential Canadian markets left, Vancouver and Montreal are likely the best ratings bets, so CBC will jump at them with the first two picks.  Calgary’s a better bet than Ottawa, so TSN takes their series with Chicago, leaving CBC with Ottawa and then the likely ability to pick PHX-LA to pair with it for doubleheaders, as TSN likely prefers the star power of Ovechkin and Crosby.

American Networks

NBC: Boston-Pittsburgh is a bona fide NBC series.  Easy choice for the Peacock.  Honestly, out of the remaining series, Washington-Atlanta stands a better chance of being chosen than LA-Phoenix.  If only NBC went back to doing regional games, that would make a decent split telecast, you could even throw in the Nashville-Colorado series.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if the Coyotes made it to NBC, though?

VERSUS: VERSUS will also likely pal around with Crosby and Ovechkin for the 7PM timeslots, and likely fill them with New Jersey-Montreal and Buffalo-Ottawa when they are gone.  LA-Phoenix will likely be the one series out west VERSUS sends a consistent crew to.  Otherwise, expect simulcasts of Calgary-Chicago and Vancouver-San Jose.  Maybe a Nashville-Colorado game here or there.

VERSUS Announcer Availability:

The VERSUS folk who’d be rarin’ to go if the post-season began today:

Play by Play:

John Forslund
Rick Peckham
John Ahlers

Color:

Daryl Reaugh
Joe Micheletti
Billy Jaffe

Reporters:
Bob Harwood
Charissa Thompson
Lindsay Soto

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