Dan’s Daily: Penguins National TV Schedule; Canada Has No Goalies?

Published

2 weeks ago

August 30, 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins are going to have a lot of drama this season, some good, and some maybe bad enough that it could spill into a lot more bad. The Penguins will be many things this season, but boring will not be one of them, and we looked at the inflection points that could make or break another season. Canada is wringing its hands during goalie week, and TSN asked the simple but heavy question: where have the Canadian goalies gone? Elsewhere in the Daily, playoff rivals made a couple of small but significant transactions, the Ottawa Senators need a deal on a new downtown stadium next month, and the Philadelphia Flyers are trying to recruit their own goalie.

At the bottom is the Penguins’ new national TV schedule. If you’re like me, you don’t look that far ahead on the schedule to plan your viewing, but for those of you who circle your calendars, the Penguins have a whopping 17 nationally televised games, including two online only.

UPDATE: The tragic news regarding Johnny Gaudreau’s passing broke shortly after publishing. PHN sends its heartfelt condolences to the Gaudreau family. You may view the Gaudreau news story here.

The league really must do away with online-only games. The marketplace is shifting that way regardless of the bait. I firmly believe the few cities that went with free TV options, including Vegas, have the right idea. The Penguins have the highest TV ratings in the league, but that gravy train is probably coming to an end really soon.

NHL teams listen up: Make hockey accessible and make damned sure to teach about the game, not just a color analyst, but find broadcasters who can explain the nuts and bolts in the pre and post-game. Where are the coaches in hockey broadcasting?

The biggest impediment to expanding hockey’s reach is the great unwashed and their lack of understanding of the game. They just see whirring colors and whistles and turn the channel. Americans also need good media coverage. F1, soccer, and the NFL are global phenomena because of the interpersonal drama and rivalries. The NHL has that in abundance but tries to downplay it. Why?!

Happy Labor Day Weekend.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: New additions and drama. This iteration might not be the best Penguins team you’ve seen in the past decade, but I think it could be great fun. The season could be surprising and it could be awful, but it will not be dull. Here’s the drama forecast and Penguins outlook.

Steelers Now: Brandon Aiyuk? Staying with the San Francisco 49ers. And that’s that. Aiyuk represents just another missed opportunity to add a WR before the season. It’s going to be a rough go for the Steelers WR core.

SN+: Alan Saunders’s weekly Friday dirt–In the locker room and behind the scenes just for Steelers fans. This is interesting today–The day in the life of a bubble player. Spencer Anderson’s big shot with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh Baseball Now: Let’s have some fun with this train wreck. Our betting expert lays it out–bet on Paul Skenes for NL Rookie of the Year.

John Perrotto goes “there.” Will Bob Nutting consider a big organizational shakeup? Here’s the burning Pirates question.

I’ll beat you to the comment. Nutting should be the change he hopes to see. He is a frustrating guy, and there are a few owners around sports who strangle their team with penny-pinching or indifference, but usually, sports franchise owners are much older and move on. Nutting’s near 25-year stranglehold on this franchise, with another 25 to go, is a truly terrifying thought.

NHL News & National Hockey Now

TSN: Lament and wonder. It sounds like a Paula Cole song, but where have the great Canadian goalies gone?

Where is their Ken Dryden? Where is their happy ending? With a strong start to the season, Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry could very well be on the Four Nations Face-Off team and earn a spot on the Olympic team.

Ottawa Hockey Now: Nick Cousins signed a one-year deal with the Ottawa Senators.

Sportsnet: Those same Senators need a new arena, and they really need approval for their beautiful downtown arena next month. It is stunning, but will the city bite? Here’s the situation.

You can almost hear Quebec City screaming, “Come North!”

Florida Hockey Now: Remember those days when Florida would block off seats? When four tickets and four hot dogs were $44? Yeah … not anymore. The ticket sales are brisk for the Florida Panthers.

NHL.com: Bad news for the Carolina Hurricanes. Jesper Fast will miss the upcoming season after neck surgery.

Philly Hockey Now: It’s been quite the saga this summer. Did the Flyers properly take care of their goalie prospect Alexei Koslov, or did they leave him in a hotel room in Lehigh Valley without much support? There seem to be some hard feelings, and the team is trying to recruit their prospect back into the fold. Here’s the fascinating Philadelphia Flyers situation.