TV Timeout Over

Looks like Time Warner's deal with the NHL worked out after all. I was able to call up and order CENTER ICE no problem this week. I'm still surprised that they waited to offer it so close to the start of the season but if it means I get to watch HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA on Saturday night then I'm a happy camper.

Time Warner is also offering the NHL NETWORK this season but I didn't bite. I've been able to see the channel when I've gone back to Canada (where it's been offered for a couple of years) and like a lot of similarly themed channels it's content poor. Sure it's great to see classic old games and the occasional behind the scenes piece but if you've got CENTER ICE, MSG, FSN, and SNY and VS. on offer already where are you going to find the time to watch more hockey? If you're a complete puckhead then go for it but the rest of us won't be missing much.

Besides if you're that obsessive, you can watch CENTER ICE ONLINE, ISLANDERS TV, DEVILS TV, and other team channels on your computer. No Rangers online channel yet as they have not succumbed to Gary Bettman's vision of "one league to rule them all" and think the NHL is equivalent to the Soprano family for even thinking of asking them to share rights and revenues. I'm not completely sold on watching games online yet but I hope it will be something that hockey fans outside of the US and Canada can take full advantage of. It could also come in handy if NBC decides to cut away from the conference finals again.

For all the complaints about the League not being on ESPN, we are definitely spoiled for choice in NYC. I wish people would stop thinking that Stan Fischler is this city's answer to Don Cherry but I'm always excited that we get to see as much hockey as we do throughout the season.