Blackhawks, Penguins, Flyers rule NBC’s 2015-16 NHL TV schedule
Everybody loves a winner. At least that’s what the NBC Sports Group is banking on.
The NHL’s U.S. broadcast partner revealed its 2015–16 schedule on Monday and to no one’s surprise it features a heavy dose of the Blackhawks. The Stanley Cup champs appear a league-high 21 times on the schedule, including on opening night, Oct. 7.
Also in heavy rotation this season: the Penguins and the Flyers, who make 18 appearances each, and the Red Wings, who will be on 15 times.
At the other end of the scale? The Coyotes get one shot on national TV (March 7), as do the Blue Jackets (Feb. 23) and the Devils (Jan. 10).
No surprise that the Canadian teams get short shrift, but it’s a bit of a stunner that the Oilers will make only one appearance, for a March 1 showdown against the Sabres. No denying the appeal of that one—a head-to-head matchup between top pick Connor McDavid and second choice Jack Eichel—but it’s hard to fathom why NBC is otherwise ignoring McDavid, a player widely regarded as the best prospect to emerge in at least a decade. It’s a disservice to the game and fans in the States.
Games will be found primarily on NBCSN, with NHL on NBC coverage beginning on Nov. 27 with the Discover NHLThanksgiving Showdown featuring the Rangers at the Bruins. That will be the first of 12 games to air on the main network during the regular season. Boston also hosts the second game on NBC, on Jan. 1, when the Canadiens come to town for the Winter Classic.
Beginning on Jan. 24, NBC will present the NHL Game of the Week, generally on Sunday afternoons.
Here’s a look at the schedule as it stands now. Of course, all entries are subject to change.
DATE | AWAY | HOME | NETWORK | TIME (ET) |
Wed., Oct. 7 | N.Y. Rangers | Chicago | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Oct. 7 | San Jose | Los Angeles | NBCSN | 10 p.m. |
Thur., Oct. 8 | Minnesota | Colorado | NBCSN | 9 p.m. |
Tues., Oct. 13 | Tampa Bay | Detroit | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Oct. 14 | Chicago | Philadelphia | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Oct. 20 | Dallas | Philadelphia | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Oct. 21 | Philadelphia | Boston | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Oct. 27 | Tampa Bay | St. Louis | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Oct. 28 | Pittsburgh | Washington | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Oct. 28 | Nashville | San Jose | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. |
Tues., Nov. 3 | Los Angeles | St. Louis | NBCSN | 8:30 p.m. |
Wed., Nov. 4 | St. Louis | Chicago | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Nov. 10 | Buffalo | Tampa Bay | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Nov. 11 | Montreal | Pittsburgh | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Tues., Nov. 17 | Minnesota | Pittsburgh | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Nov. 18 | Washington | Detroit | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Nov. 25 | Philadelphia | N.Y. Islanders | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Nov. 25 | Chicago | San Jose | NBCSN | 10 p.m. |
Fri., Nov 27 | N.Y. Rangers | Boston | NBC | 1 p.m. |
Fri., Nov. 27 | Chicago | Anaheim | NBCSN | 5 p.m. |
Tues., Dec. 1 | Minnesota | Chicago | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Dec. 1 | Pittsburgh | San Jose | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. |
Wed., Dec. 2 | N.Y. Rangers | N.Y. Islanders | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Dec. 8 | Detroit | Washington | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Dec. 9 | Boston | Montreal | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Dec. 9 | Pittsburgh | Colorado | NBCSN | 10 p.m. |
Tues., Dec. 15 | Colorado | Chicago | NBCSN | 8:30 p.m. |
Wed., Dec. 16 | Pittsburgh | Boston | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Dec. 22 | Montreal | Minnesota | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Dec. 22 | San Jose | Los Angeles | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. |
Tues., Dec. 29 | Nashville | St. Louis | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Dec. 30 | N.Y. Rangers | Tampa Bay | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Dec. 30 | Philadelphia | San Jose | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. |
Fri., Jan. 1 | Montreal | Boston | NBC | 1 p.m. |
Mon., Jan. 4 | Los Angeles | Colorado | NBCSN | 9 p.m. |
Tues., Jan. 5 | Montreal | Philadelphia | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Jan. 6 | Pittsburgh | Chicago | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Thur., Jan. 7 | Philadelphia | Minnesota | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sun., Jan. 10 | New Jersey | Minnesota | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Jan. 12 | Tampa Bay | Colorado | NBCSN | 9 p.m. |
Wed., Jan. 13 | Boston | Philadelphia | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Thur., Jan. 14 | Chicago | Montreal | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Sun., Jan. 17 | Philadelphia | Detroit | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Mon., Jan. 18 | Pittsburgh | St. Louis | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Jan. 19 | Chicago | Nashville | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Jan. 20 | St. Louis | Detroit | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Jan. 20 | Minnesota | Anaheim | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. |
Sun., Jan. 24 | Pittsburgh | Washington | NBC | 12:30 p.m. |
Mon., Jan. 25 | Buffalo | N.Y. Rangers | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Tues., Jan 26 | Chicago | Carolina | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Tues., Jan 26 | Colorado | San Jose | NBCSN | 10 p.m. |
Wed., Jan. 27 | Philadelphia | Washington | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Jan. 27 | Colorado | Los Angeles | NBCSN | 10:30 p.m. |
Tues., Feb. 2 | Florida | Washington | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Feb. 3 | Detroit | Tampa Bay | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Thurs., Feb. 4 | N.Y. Islanders | Washington | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Thurs., Feb. 4 | Anaheim | Los Angeles | NBCSN | 10 p.m. |
Sun., Feb. 7 | Philadelphia | Washington | NBC | 12 p.m. |
Tues., Feb. 9 | Dallas | Minnesota | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Feb. 10 | N.Y. Rangers | Pittsburgh | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sun., Feb. 14 | Boston | Detroit | NBC | 3 p.m. |
Sun., Feb. 14 | Philadelphia | N.Y. Rangers | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Tues., Feb. 16 | Dallas | St. Louis | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Wed., Feb. 17 | Chicago | N.Y. Rangers | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Thurs., Feb. 18 | Detroit | Pittsburgh | NBCSN | 7 p.m. |
Sun., Feb. 21 | Pittsburgh | Buffalo | NBC | 12:30 p.m. |
Sun., Feb. 21 | Chicago | Minnesota | NBC | 3:30 p.m. |
Sun., Feb. 21 | Detroit | N.Y. Rangers | NBCSN | 7 p.m. |
Mon., Feb. 22 | San Jose | St. Louis | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., Feb. 23 | Columbus | Detroit | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Feb. 24 | Pittsburgh | Boston | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., Feb. 24 | San Jose | Colorado | NBCSN | 10 p.m. |
Thurs., Feb. 25 | Nashville | Chicago | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sat., Feb. 27 | Detroit | Colorado | NBC | 8 p.m. |
Sun., Feb. 28 | Washington | Chicago | NBC | 12:30 p.m. |
Sun., Feb. 28 | Tampa Bay | Boston | NBCSN | 6:30 p.m. |
Sun., Feb 28 | Los Angeles | Anaheim | NBCSN | 9 p.m. |
Tues., March 1 | Edmonton | Buffalo | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., March 2 | Chicago | Detroit | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sun., March 6 | St. Louis | Minnesota | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Mon., March 7 | Arizona | Colorado | NBCSN | 9 p.m. |
Tues., March 8 | Pittsburgh | N.Y. Islanders | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., March 9 | Chicago | St. Louis | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sun., March 13 | Pittsburgh | N.Y. Rangers | NBC | 12:30 p.m. |
Sun., March 13 | Toronto | Detroit | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Mon., March 14 | Los Angeles | Chicago | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., March 15 | Detroit | Philadelphia | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Tues., March 15 | Boston | San Jose | NBCSN | 10 p.m. |
Wed., March 16 | Philadelphia | Chicago | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sun., March 20 | Washington | Pittsburgh | NBCSN | 6 p.m. |
Sun., March 20 | Minnesota | Chicago | NBCSN | 8:30 p.m. |
Mon., March 21 | Philadelphia | N.Y. Islanders | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Tues., March 22 | Los Angeles | Minnesota | NBCSN | 8:30 p.m. |
Wed., March 23 | Boston | N.Y. Rangers | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sun., March 27 | N.Y. Rangers | Pittsburgh | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Mon., March 28 | Buffalo | Detroit | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Mon., March 28 | Los Angeles | San Jose | NBCSN | 10 p.m. |
Tues., March 29 | Colorado | St. Louis | NBCSN | 8:30 p.m. |
Wed., March 30 | Washington | Philadelphia | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sun., April 3 | Boston | Chicago | NBC | 12:30 p.m. |
Sun., April 3 | St. Louis | Colorado | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Tues., April 5 | Tampa Bay | N.Y. Rangers | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. |
Wed., April 6 | Philadelphia | Detroit | NBCSN | 8 p.m. |
Sat., April 9 | Pittsburgh | Philadelphia | NBC | 3 p.m. |
Sat., April 9 | TBD | TBD | NBCSN | TBD |