Correction

In a previous post, I stated that NHL Network reporter Fred Pletsch had made an error on the pronunciation of Team USA’s Derek Stepan’s name.  Upon further review, he was correct.  I regret the error and would like to personally apologize.

Your Announcers and Open Thread For WJC Bronze and Gold, as Well as Wild-Blackhawks

Sweden vs. Switzerland, 4PM, NHL Network/TSN
Play by Play: Gord Miller
Color: Pierre McGuire
Reporter: Ryan Rishaug

USA vs. Canada, 8PM
TV (US): NHL Network
Play by Play: JP Dellacamera
Color: Dave Starman
Reporter: Fred Pletsch

TV (Canada): TSN
Play by Play: Gord Miller
Color: Pierre McGuire
Reporter: Ryan Rishaug

Minnesota vs. Chicago, 8PM, VERSUS
Play by Play: John Forslund
Color: Billy Jaffe
Reporter: Bob Harwood

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Broadcast News: This Segment Really Doing Anything For Ya?

(NOTE: This will show up every Monday Tuesday this week 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 Montreal vs. #1 New Jersey
#7 NY Rangers vs. #2 Buffalo
#6 Ottawa vs. #3 Washington
#5 Boston vs. #4 Pittsburgh

WEST:

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

Canadian Networks Draft:

#1 (CBC): MTL-NJ
#2 (CBC): CGY-PHX
#3 (TSN): VAN-CHI
#4 (CBC): OTT-WSH
#5 (TSN): BOS-PIT
#6 (CBC): LA-SJ
#7 (TSN): NYR-BUF and NSH-COL

CBC would usually not try to skip a Vancouver series, as it is on the upper half of the Canadian ratings draws regionally and nationally, but the logistics of having a Calgary-Phoenix series on the schedule are better than switching time zones between Vancouver and Chicago, so Calgary-Phoenix it is.  They’ll likely pair it up with the weaker of the two Eastern Canadian series, Washington-Ottawa, while throwing Montreal-Devils with LA-San Jose.  Meanwhile, TSN will feature Canucks-Hawks, while also giving playtime to Boston-Pittsburgh.  Nashville-Colorado and Rangers-Buffalo are reserved for doubleheader filler and TSN2.

American Networks

NBC: Thank goodness the playoffs don’t start today, because a lot of puckheads would be angry at NBC skipping out on the West in Round 1 for a second consecutive year.  Boston-Pittsburgh and Rangers-Buffalo would almost certainly be chosen over Los Angeles-San Jose or Nashville-Colorado.  It’s hard to argue that NBC would even try to televise either series if one of their 2 original picks ended early.  Sorry, fans west of Pittsburgh.

VERSUS: The VERSUS network would be more economical.  Bruins-Pens and Rangers-Buffalo are likely the key featured Eastern series, but LA-San Jose would also be regularly televised, with a combo of Nashville-Colorado and Vancouver-Chicago alternating between when you can get those series into the 10PM hour.  Montreal-New Jersey, Washington-Ottawa and Calgary-Phoenix likely relegated to weekends only.

VERSUS available announcers:

Play-by-Play:

John Forslund
Rick Peckham
John Ahlers

Color:

Darren Eliot
Daryl Reaugh
Billy Jaffe

Reporter:

Charissa Thompson
Bob Harwood
Lindsay Soto

NHL Partners With Geico, Presumably So The Gecko Can Ref More Than Just Those Winter Classic Kids Games

From Mediaweek:

Just days after throwing its support behind the NHL Winter Classic game in Boston, Geico has upped its commitment, signing on as the official insurance partner of the National Hockey League.

Brokered by Geico agency Horizon Media, the partnership includes national TV inventory on NBC throughout the regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs. The sponsorship also includes a mix of media delivered via the NHL Network and NHL.com, along with exposure in a number of team venues.

Before signing with the league, Geico had already sponsored 17 of the 24 U.S.-based NHL teams.

“We’re excited to become a partner and create this association with the National Hockey League,” said Bill Brower, Geico’s director of advertising. “The recent Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, with a special appearance by the Caveman, was a great way to kick off a successful partnership through the rest of the season.”