The NHL's US broadcasting rights have joint custody between ESPN & TNT, which have been a welcome change of pace to American viewers. In every way, the American coverage of the NHL suffered under NBC, especially toward the end. Whether a shortage of online content or stale in-game broadcasts, the NHL's stateside coverage wasn't very good before this season.
However, ESPN & Turner not only create better content but more of it as well. Abundance of coverage = growth, straight up. Both featuring high profile analysts such as Wayne Gretzky, Rick Tocchet, & Anson Carter on TNT, and Ray Ferraro, Chris Chelios, and Mark Messier on ESPN, naturally viewership is up across all channels. A very encouraging sign for a league next to desperate for growth.
ESPN has added a new face into the mix in PK Subban, of the New Jersey Devils.
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PK will certainly be a fun, knowledgable analyst with immense knowledge of the current state of the NHL. With the Devils well out of the playoffs, it makes sense that he would land a TV gig with his super outgoing personality & top-end knowledge of the game.
He will make his ESPN debut today, Monday May 9 on The Point at 5pm eastern.
