NHL Network: If you do not have it, get it!
Posted 1:23 PM ET | Comments 8
About a month ago, cable and satellite TV providers began airing the NHL Network in the US. It is only $5 extra dollars on my cable provider for the Sports Pack which included the NHL Network and a few other Fox Sports channels. At first I treated it as a trial and would decide after a month whether or not it is worth it, but that month is now over and I have made my choice. It's a keeper!
For US hockey fans, without the NHL Network, Hockey is on TV about .00002% of the time. Unless you are in a hockey market or catch the 5 minutes that ESPN covers it a day, you barely get to watch it. But with the NHL Network, it is 24 hours a day of hockey! It offers Live Games (NHL and AHL), Classic Games and Series, Player Spotlights, and a whole rundown on each night's games (NHL on the Fly).
In one day, you can see the following shows (or ones like it) :
Top 10 Goalies of 1997-1998
NHL on the Fly
Vintage Games: Toronto vs Boston from April 3, 1971
Classic Series: 1993 Maple Leafs vs Red Wings
Top 10 Goalies of 1998-1999
NHL Cool Shots: Extended Play - Ted Lindsay
2007 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
NHL on the Fly: Final
So if you do not have it, give it a try like I did. I am sure it will win you over with the amount of content that have. A must have for any general hockey fan!
For US hockey fans, without the NHL Network, Hockey is on TV about .00002% of the time. Unless you are in a hockey market or catch the 5 minutes that ESPN covers it a day, you barely get to watch it. But with the NHL Network, it is 24 hours a day of hockey! It offers Live Games (NHL and AHL), Classic Games and Series, Player Spotlights, and a whole rundown on each night's games (NHL on the Fly).
In one day, you can see the following shows (or ones like it) :
Top 10 Goalies of 1997-1998
NHL on the Fly
Vintage Games: Toronto vs Boston from April 3, 1971
Classic Series: 1993 Maple Leafs vs Red Wings
Top 10 Goalies of 1998-1999
NHL Cool Shots: Extended Play - Ted Lindsay
2007 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
NHL on the Fly: Final
So if you do not have it, give it a try like I did. I am sure it will win you over with the amount of content that have. A must have for any general hockey fan!
Is it on Dish Network yet?
ESPN has 5 minutes a day? Could have sworn they were limited to a max of 23 seconds per SC broadcast. I'm also glad we have NHL Network. Now if they'll go HD, add some more original programming, include a scroll with updating game scores and news, and finally, lose the NHL Network logo/promo that covers the entire bottom of the screen which blocks views and graphics from other feeds. Oh well, it's still a great addition.
I agree with Blueline, why should the studio analysts be in lower resolution than the game highlites. What are they using, a 8mm hand held on a tripod in the corner of a storage room at Rogers Sportsnet without letting them know. You can tell they're cramped for space, look at that goofy table they're sitting at. That scroll at the bottom that keeps telling me to get the NHL Network, I'm watching the NHL Network, that should be the least of your worries. Scroll me some scores and news, act like a real show. It can't be that difficult to do. Versus got it done and they shoot out of a double wide.
Direct TV has nhl network and it's free so far, dish network also has it but it is only for HD .
Mayor, the reference to 8mm hand held too funny. (I am curious however, are they using regular or Super 8?) In fact, the whole post was a hoot. How about the great studio lighting, especially on the one guy's head (can't think of his name). Sunspots here on earth. (Obviously, NHL Network/TSN have excellent makeup and studio crews.) When did Versus trade in their 1954 Traveleze? I was unaware of that transaction. Good for them. Wow! A double wide! Want to see your rink (ok, arena) and our stolen Pred players so I'm coming to Philly for the Flyers/Pens game in January but am not planning on joining you for your post game, parking lot festivities as I prefer to make it home in one piece. (I remember a lot of what HB regulars post.)
Additional thoughts on NHL Network's broadcast "quality". After more views tonight, mayor's point about the lower resolution for analysts (re: using 8mm) is too kind. I think they are recording on VHS and then photographing resultant replayed TV image using a kinescope before distributing resultant feed. It's really a terrible image, no doubt. Still, so very glad we have NHL Network - guess I'll relent on the sarcasm for a bit. Meanwhile, HB'rs night at flyers/pens game in Jan (a few of us, anyway). Time to consider annual HB treks to other hockey towns?
In South Dakota, Midcontinent communications just added the NHL network to the sports 1 tier cable package ( $3.50 additional per month) I don't think I have turned to another channel since. Kevin
I do agree with the quality of the broadcasts and I forgot about that annoying banner on the bottom of the screen! I wonder when they will get rid of it? philkash, are you saying that Dish has it in HD?