Why we can't watch RedZone-like NHL "whip-around" show in Canada
If you’re looking at the NHL schedule tonight, it might seem like a dream to a diehard fan.
All 32 NHL teams are in action on Tuesday, with 16 games starting at 6 pm ET/ 3 pm PT. The staggered starts are a part of the NHL’s “Frozen Frenzy” concept, which is now running for the second year in a row.
Games will start at either 15, 30, or 45-minute intervals from the first puck drop, right up until the Vegas Golden Knights take on the Los Angeles Kings at 11 pm ET/8 pm PT. It’s a full night of hockey for those interested, with a special show dedicated to making sure fans feel like they’re involved in all the different games taking place at once.
The “NHL Frozen Frenzy Live Whip-Around Studio Show” will begin at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT on ESPN+ and will later be showcased on ESPN2 at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT.
Hosted by John Buccigross, Kevin Weekes, and P.K. Subban, the whip-around show will check in on all 16 games being played. This is similar to the NFL’s RedZone coverage every Sunday, which has its own dedicated channel in the US and can be accessed through DAZN and TSN+ in Canada.
But Canadian fans who want to check out the whip-around show have no legal options to do so.
Though Sportsnet will be carrying simulcasts of three ESPN broadcasts tonight as well as three of its own broadcasts — and TSN is showing four of its own broadcasts regionally — Canadians will be out of luck when it comes to having options to watch the “RedZone”-like production.
However, the NHL does have a new show titled “NHL Coast to Coast,” hosted by Andi Petrillo and available in Canada on Thursday nights on Prime Video. It offers a similar whip-around look to the “Frozen Frenzy” coverage.
While the NHL might offer a cross-border option for a whip-around show featuring all 32 teams in the future, tonight doesn’t seem like the night for that.