In The Box is a somewhat regular feature on Puck the Media where we cover some of the stories not necessarily big enough to warrant their own posts but within this site’s jurisdiction.
In The Box: Sharks pair to call Red Wings-Kings
A look at recent NBCSN audiences, upcoming announcers and flex scheduling.
USA TODAY Sports
*For the first time in a couple of years, people watching the NBC Sports Network will hear some new voices on the air. The San Jose Sharks commentary team of Randy Hahn (play-by-play) and Drew Remenda (inside the glass) from CSN California will call the second half of a Wednesday night doubleheader between the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. This is the pair’s first national broadcast (though the game will be blacked out in Detroit) that isn’t a Sharks game picked up for a simulcast by NBCSN or Versus. Hahn previously called games nationally for Fox, while Remenda was an analyst for the CBC.
*Other upcoming announcing assignments: the opening game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, between the Capitals and the Flyers, will be called by Mike Emrick, Eddie Olczyk and Pierre McGuire. That threesome will also be behind the mics when the Blackhawks take on the Red Wings on NBC Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Dave Strader and Brian Engblom have the call for Sunday night’s NBC Sports Network game between the Bruins and the Canadiens, as well as the Rangers-Flyers showdown on Tuesday. Kenny Albert and Pierre McGuire have the call for next Monday’s Lightning-Pengins game over on NBCSN. Also, the Wisconsin-Nebraska Omaha game on NBCSN’s Friday night college hockey series will be called by Dan Parkhurst and Ken Hodge.
*Another thing about that game between the Capitals and Flyers on Wednesday: it’ll be the first ever “coexist” in recent memory between a regional sports network and a national network for the National Hockey League. What’ll happen is, if you live in the DC area, you can watch the game on either NBCSN or CSN Mid-Atlantic. Both are owned by Comcast, incidentally. The same luxury will not be afford to Flyers fans, however, as they can only see the game on NBC Sports Network. This is a pretty common practice in the NBA, where the regional network will still televise a game being broadcast on ESPN or TNT.
*Cleaning up some recent viewership numbers that you haven’t seen yet: last Tuesday’s Sharks-Blues game, which was blacked out in the Bay Area, drew 261,000 viewers to NBCSN. This Sunday’s Lightning-Pens game, which wasn’t seen in Pittsburgh, drew 283,000. Saturday’s Leafs-Sens game on Hockey Night in Canada drew 2.24 million to the CBC, while Friday night’s Pens-Jets showcase drew a mere 772,000. The Saturday game was down from last week’s game between the Leafs and Habs, which scored 2.4 million on Hockey Day.
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