McDavid effect? Oilers being shown a ton on American TV this season
Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid will be able to showcase his otherworldly talent to Americans plenty this coming season.
One complaint about the NHL is that they often don’t seem to do enough to market their star players. Oftentimes, it seems as though McDavid, widely regarded as the best player in the world, isn’t beginning his games until 8 pm MT.
The late start times result in many missing out his games, which has a negative effect on the NHL in its attempts to grow the game. That won’t be as big of an issue this coming season.
US National TV Games for 2024/25 season, by team
• 59 exclusive games on TNT Networks
• 100 games exclusive across multiple ESPN Networks:
– 19 on ABC
– 29 on ESPN
– 2 on ESPN2
– 75 on ESPN+đź“ş ESPN: https://t.co/PAFVHegJ6L
đź“ş TNT: https://t.co/iSfW8vQLAS pic.twitter.com/Yw41yBaqjj— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) August 29, 2024
The Oilers will not only lead all Canadian teams for games played on US National networks, but are also tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche for the NHL’s highest total at 17. What’s somewhat interesting is that the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers will have five fewer at 12.
This is a wise move from networks such as TNT and ESPN to get more eyes on the game. McDavid is not only the best player in the NHL, but also arguably the most gifted athlete in any professional sport. If given the proper platform, he is good enough to help generate many more fans of the game, and that’s exactly what these networks appear to be aiming for this coming season.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Winnipeg Jets will have no national US games this coming season. The first three are rebuilding teams who may struggle in 2024-25, though seeing the Jets left off entirely may come as a surprise to some.
Along with McDavid, the Oilers also have another one of the game’s best: Leon Draisaitl. While not as flashy of a player, he too produces a ton of points and is deserving of this upcoming opportunity. It will be interesting to see how many American viewers tune in when Oilers games are available for them to watch.