NHL Hosts Historic Day as All 32 Teams Play

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The NHL is set for the busiest day of the 2024-25 season with all 32 teams taking the ice for game action. Better known as NHL “Frozen Frenzy,” all 16 games will have staggered start times and air across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+.
Starting at 6:00 p.m. with a matchup between the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers, a new game will drop the puck every 15 minutes. The final game will commence at 11:00 p.m. between the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights.
32 clubs. 16 games. Tomorrow. 🔜
— NHL (@NHL) October 21, 2024
Coverage begins at 6p ET on @espn and @ESPNPlus. Whip around show coverage at 7p ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+. pic.twitter.com/ZeinxJ9evo
Frozen Frenzy will also feature an in-studio whip-around show with live look-ins and highlights from across the league. Hosted by John Buccigross, former NHLers Kevin Weekes and P.K. Subban will share analyst duties.
This is the fourth time the NHL will have 16 games on the same day. The most recent was the inaugural “Frozen Frenzy” in October of 2023.
Between the 32 teams during last season’s “Frozen Frenzy,” there were 102 goals scored. The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning walked away winners last year via shutouts.
Only two games went to 3-on-3 overtime, the Anaheim Ducks secured a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Seattle Kraken defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-4.
Despite not many overtime wins, the NHL recorded 10 comebacks in the inaugural “Frozen Frenzy.”
It’s still early in the 2024-25 NHL season meaning not many of the 16 contests are huge matchups, but there is sure to be plenty of quality hockey.
The San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators are still looking for their first win; the Sharks at least have a couple of overtime losses. The Sharks will look for their first win against rival Ducks. The Predators will have a tough night against the Bruins.
The only two teams who will be playing in the second half of a back-to-back are the Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Six of the 16 matchups are cross-conference meetings.

Nick Horwat is a contributor with Breakaway On SI. He was previously a credentialed reporter for The Hockey News covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A Pittsburgh native, Nick graduated from Point Park University and started reporting on news and sports with KDKA Radio and 93.7 The Fan. After hosting a Penguins talk radio show in college, he morphed the show into a podcast. The Tip of the Ice-Burgh Podcast has been a leading Penguins podcast since 2019. Follow him on Twitter @NickHorwat41.