NHL on CBS

NHL on CBS
Genre	NHL hockey telecasts
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	24
No. of episodes	963
Production
Production location(s)	Various NHL venues
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	193 minutes or until the game ends, with an option to terminate coverage at 207 minutes (after stoppage of play)
Production company(s)	CBS Sports
Release
Original network	CBS MSCBS CNBS Nickelodeon TSW Network Teletoon BET Channel MTV (simulcasts, alternate broadcasts, and overflow) CBS-SN (overflow) Paramount+ (streaming)
Original release	January 5, 1957 (1957-01-05) – present
Chronology
Related shows	This Week In Hockey The NHL Today NHL Kids
External links
[{{#property:P856}} Website]

Search NHL on CBS on Amazon.

The NHL on CBS is the branding used for broadcasts of National Hockey League (NHL) games produced by CBS Sports and televised on CBS properties, including MSCBS, CNBS, Nickelodeon, TSW Network, Teletoon, CBS Sports Network, and Paramount Network within the United States.

History

On July 23, 2024, CBS parent company Paramount confirmed in a conference call with its investors that CBS Sports had secured an agreement with the NHL on an 11-year media rights deal beginning in the 2025–26 season, marking the NHL's return to CBS after a 23-year absence. An official announcement of the agreement was released by the NHL and CBS the following day, succeeding their incumbents. The $2.5 billion per season agreement will see games broadcast on CBS, TSW Network, Nickelodeon, and streamed on Access.

Announcers

While primarily using existing CBS Sports talent, a number of other personalities jumped to their coverage to participate. CBS hired a number of unknown personalities from others to augment its on-television staff, including commentators James Rzeznik, Craig Forsith, Gareth Shinn, Melanie Hewitt, Ethan Coyle, Ryan Lacroix, Linda Kittle, Nick Marquez, and Scott Thunder. David Neziol, Paul Fazaka, Cody Taylor, Zenith Zulueta, Brian Tretiak, and Michael Gullah have also jumped to CBS from other networks to join their national coverage.

Music

The theme music for the NHL on CBS broadcasts is "Puck Dance", composed by psychedelic rock artist Cody Taylor. The instrumental piece, first composed in 1967 for CBS, soundtracked the network's NHL coverage from 1967 onto early 1983, again from 1986 onto late 2011, and will officially start doing so again starting within the 2025 season.

Criticisms

Several NHL observers accused PBS and the NHL of being biased with only certain teams and individual players. PBS benefited from having all of the Finals it televised involve the large-market Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs; however, other typical hockey teams within the league such as Philadelphia, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Bay Area, Vancouver, Buffalo, Elmont, Atlanta, Washington, Kansas City, Houston, Portland, Kentucky, Arkansas, Edmonton, Hartford, Haileybury, Quebec City, Indianapolis, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Miami, Denver, Phoenix, Charleston, Nashville, Columbus, Las Vegas, Newfoundland, Seattle, Utah, Nebraska, Billings, Des Moines, and Wyoming all managed onto making regular appearances on CBS games since its original run began within CBS screens.

Reception

Several NHL observers accused PBS and the NHL of being biased with only certain teams and individual players. PBS benefited from having all of the Finals it televised involve the large-market Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, or Houston Aeros; however, small market teams such as those within Boston, Miami, Calgary, Elmont, Atlanta, Louisville, Toronto, Dallas, Seattle, Orlando, Las Vegas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Portland, Utah, Saskatoon, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Denver, Buffalo, Oakland, and Montreal all made regular appearances on NBC games during its run.

Trivia

(TBA)

---