AHL All-Star Game to air in most NHL markets

The American Hockey League’s All-Star Game remains a showcase of some of the league’s most promising prospects. Here’s where you can find the game on television in your area.

by Steve Lepore

Jan 28, 2013, 3:00 PM UTC

Bruce Bennett

One of the things that’s been a bit confusing to me ever since the lockout is the American Hockey League’s All-Star Game’s inability to find a television home. Neither NHL Network, NBC Sports Network, or any other national cable channel has taken a bite at the game and given it a consistent station. I remember the game airing on ESPN2 a few times before the lockout, but since then it’s had to cobble together regional stations for it’s broadcast, and some of them will be airing the game on tape delay.

One such case is NESN, the network producing the Providence-based All-Star telecast. They will not air the game until the next day, due to a Bruins game taking up the time while the game goes out live tonight. The game will, however, air live on NESNplus. The AHL All-Star Game is usually the day after the NHL game, but that is not the case with the shortened schedule this year.

The only real interesting change in the AHL All-Star TV network this season is that the Los Angeles-based Time Warner Cable Sportsnet -- which is the home of the Lakers, but to neither of the two local hockey teams -- will take over the game in SoCal from the FS West/Prime Ticket combo. I’m not sure if either the Kings or the Ducks television contracts are close to up, but it’ll be interesting to see if this a toe-dip into the waters of looking into further hockey broadcasting.

Here’s the rest of the AHL All-Star Game TV network in NHL markets. Check your local listings to find out when the game will be airing.

Canada: Sportsnet

Anaheim/Los Angeles: Time Warner Cable Sportsnet

Boston: NESN

Buffalo: MSG

Carolina: Comcast Sports Southeast

Chicago: CSN Chicago

Colorado: Altitude

Columbus: FS Ohio

Dallas: FS Southwest

Detroit: FS Detroit

Florida: SunSports