The NHL has announced that as a result of Comcast's purchase of NBC, starting this spring, every single NHL playoff game will be available on national television on one of the NBC family of networks or the NHL Network. I'm not sure that it will have the impact on viewership as some predict in this article but it is GREAT news for a hockey junkie like me.

For my money, playoff hockey is as good as it gets in professional sports and second only to the NCAA Tournament in terms of pure drama and excitement. Also, IMHO, there is nothing in sports more exciting than a Game 7 in hockey that goes into OT.

NYT Article

Also, one would have to imagine that this demonstration of reach would portend well for future athletic conferences that are looking for similar exposure.

I can't decide which of these two I'd rather spend a night alone with? The problem with the one is who knows where it has been? It has been in so many weird and filthy places and has been handled by so many different men that it makes it somewhat less appealing. However the same could probably be said about the Stanley Cup too so I'll take both please.

Here's another good one. I had no idea there was such a thing as a Stanley Cup fetish.



If they all looked like this then I'd say count me in on that particular fetish! The problem of course is that the folks who kiss the Cup usually look like this.



...or this...

This is excellent news. I can't wait for the NHL playoffs!

Still, if I'm being honest I must say that this looks pretty damn good to me and you have no idea what I wouldn't give to see it again in June.

I was there for this. Unfortunately, (probably) no playoffs for my Canes this year. :(

That's awesome. The Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Olympics are the only time I pay attention to Hockey.

There has been a lot of things done in, on, and around the Stanley Cup.... the licking seems pretty tame to me.

(03-16-2012 06:52 PM)Chappy Wrote:  

I was there for this. Unfortunately, (probably) no playoffs for my Canes this year. :(

I love Hurricanes playoff games. Not mathematically out of it yet but need a miracle.

FWIW, I got my picture taken with THE CUP when the All Star game came to Raleigh last year:

http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h83/Pi...=slideshow

VERY impressed with Canes' fan base. They have done a GREAT job!

The NHL has been getting very aggressive with their broadcasting the last few years and their ratings have been slowly ticking up... so it can only be good news for them.

(03-16-2012 06:39 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  

I still say that this is a beautiful picture.*

Regardless, the availability of all playoff games is long overdue. MLB and the NBA have been doing this for several years. It makes sense looping in CNBC since they don't have much in the way of prime time programming. I know a lot of hockey fans were hoping to get games on USA, but for whatever reason, the average program on USA gets very high cable ratings and Comcast didn't want to displace any of them. (I don't get it since I can't remember the last time that I turned on USA outside of coming across a random movie, but I know a lot of it comes from the WWE audiences.)

On a college-related note, I think this is a pretty good indicator as to how you'll see Comcast treat college sports properties outside of Notre Dame: lots of NBC Sports Network coverage with CNBC being the primary overflow channel.

(* I'm from Chicago)

(03-19-2012 01:56 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  (* I'm from Chicago)

Rangers and Devils should play everynight.

I LOVE HOCKEY!!!

(03-20-2012 11:11 AM)Usajags Wrote:  Rangers and Devils should play everynight.

I LOVE HOCKEY!!!

The Battle of the Hudson is a very underrated rivalry. Split the series even this year. I'd love to see that matchup in the conference semis or conference finals. I'll predict my Devils will emerge victorious in that one.

(03-20-2012 11:11 AM)Usajags Wrote:  Rangers and Devils should play everynight.

I LOVE HOCKEY!!!

Just as long as the Canes play the Devils in the first round as that is a guaranteed series win for the Canes of late.

We're 4-0 vs the Rangers, who would be our first round opponent if a miracle were to happen.

(03-20-2012 04:29 PM)Chappy Wrote:  We're 4-0 vs the Rangers, who would be our first round opponent if a miracle were to happen.

You must mean playoff series... because the Rangers have owned us this year in regular season games.

(03-20-2012 04:40 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(03-20-2012 04:29 PM)Chappy Wrote:  We're 4-0 vs the Rangers, who would be our first round opponent if a miracle were to happen.

You must mean playoff series... because the Rangers have owned us this year in regular season games.

Sorry, I had them mixed up with the Bruins for some reason. My 12-hour workdays are catching up to me.

(03-20-2012 05:57 PM)Chappy Wrote:  

(03-20-2012 04:40 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(03-20-2012 04:29 PM)Chappy Wrote:  We're 4-0 vs the Rangers, who would be our first round opponent if a miracle were to happen.

You must mean playoff series... because the Rangers have owned us this year in regular season games.

Sorry, I had them mixed up with the Bruins for some reason. My 12-hour workdays are catching up to me.

YUP, swept the season series from the Bruins.