ESPN Reveals First Opening Night Plans to See Gaudreau's – Hockey Writers – News and Rumors

The NHL regular season in North America begins on Tuesday Oct 8. ESPN will have three games that day starting at 4:30 PM eastern time culminating with the Utah Hockey Club's first home opener.

In Game 1, the Seattle Kraken will host the St. Louis Blues. Game 2 will feature the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers raising their banner as they host the Boston Bruins. Then in Game 3, the Utah Hockey Club will welcome Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks to the Delta Center.

Before their tripleheader, ESPN hosted their annual preseason media availability. Although many things were discussed including a live studio in Utah, they agreed that there would be a dedicated time to tell the story of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.

Initial Details Shared

At the start of the call, five members of the ESPN team were present including play-by-play announcer Bob Wischusen, analysts Ray Ferraro, AJ Mleczko and Leah Hextall and vice president of production Linda Schulz.

The Gaudreaus were boosted as ESPN would be among the first to show regular season NHL hockey on a national scale. They agreed that this was a big deal for them. Although they couldn't announce everything today, they did share some things about what fans can expect.

“We've been spending a lot of time with the teams we manage and the NHL working on our opening night,” Schulz said. “It's something we can do anyway to make sure we get to each game and don't miss a puck drop. But there is a big difference this year. The reputation on our NHL family is great, and the impact is great. That's how we feel.”

“Therefore, although I will not be able to share the plans completely because we are still working, I will tell you that in the pre-game we give time to our side of the studio to tell that story and make people aware of what happened. place. And in addition, before every match, there will be a moment to recognize and accept defeat. “

ESPN on Tuesday will have its pregame show “The Point” air at 4 PM eastern. Steve Levy will host along with commentators Mark Messier and PK Subban. Based on Schulz's comments, the story will be shared before the start of the Blues/Kraken game.

Wischusen/Hextall Share Thoughts

The Gaudreau situation has touched the lives of many in the hockey world. Wischusen attended Boston College as did the brothers. He said he had only one contact with Johnny. But he saw what Johnny was all about then.

“We met the family down there, and I was just a fly on the wall talking, but Johnny is there, and that was my only contact with him, and everything you ever heard about him as a person, it was all in front of you,” Wischusen said. “He's the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. The first college football game I called this year was Florida State-Boston College. I had to read a little – like an obituary because it just happened, and I almost couldn't get it on the air. Yes, I am glad to hear that we will give it the room it deserves on opening night because those two brothers touched so many lives.”

Hextell added how much Johnny has been a part of ESPN hockey over the years. For him, it was an absolute privilege to cover.

“John has been a part of our story at ESPN in a very big way,” Hextall said. “The Game 7 goal (against Dallas), the Battle of Alberta, I remember saying to Johnny after the game, I don't think I've ever seen him smile so much, and I've known John since I started working for NESN, I interviewed him at Boston College, he came in wearing a cap and a hoodie and sweatpants, and I was meeting him for the first time as he was going to win the Hobey Bakers.”

“Then with Sportsnet, I was the regional manager of the Calgary Flames for his first two seasons and I met him at the Calgary Stampede, and he always had a smile on his face, and a couple of seasons ago he went to Columbus to sit down with him. to talk about his return to Calgary. But the highlight of that conversation for me was when we finished talking hockey and he started talking about Noah, his little girl who just turned two a few days ago and his wife Meredith, and it was amazing to see him go from this. kid at Boston College to be a father and a husband and a family man and he knew that was the most important thing to him. “

“It is a great loss that John and Matthew are not here with us, but it has been our privilege to be able to write not only what he did on the ice but also for ESPN to write who he was, and that has come. in the world and he really is. He kept smiling. He always meets you with a hug. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to get to know him and his family a little, as we all do. I'm so glad we were able to see on ESPN just the little person John was and the fascinating hockey player he's always been. “

Side dishes

• On ESPN's opening night, Ferraro will be part of two broadcasts. He will be in Seattle along with Mike Monaco for the first game. Then he'll hop on a plane and drive the Utah Hockey Club's Home Opener with Wischusen. The idea came about during a lunchtime conversation with Mark Gross. “I'm really excited to do it,” Ferraro said of the doubleheader.
• The entire panel echoed how loud the Delta Center will be. Bill Armstrong of Utah told Hextall how the sound was reduced because of the tin roof. Imagine what it feels like during a Utah Jazz game. They think that the noise of the crowd will give them a big advantage. Wischusen said, “it's deafening.”

You May Love It Again

• Schulz says that during the pregame, they are working to see if Utah players will wear a chest camera called MindFly. “This is a camera vest that is worn under a player's jersey with a hole cut out, and the quality of the video and audio is amazing. Utah expressed to the league that they were interested in trying things out, and with that, we tried and successfully used MindFly in a similar way during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Backup goalie Stolarz is wearing it and Ray, got a chance to connect with him. I've always had the experience as we've tested it, and we brought it to the league at the beginning of last January just to work on the process of this technology and where we can use it, everyone has been wearing it and they've been amazed at how comfortable it is.”
• Don't be surprised if the idea of ​​an 84-game regular season gains momentum. According to Ferraro, “Let's face it, it always comes down to how many HR dollars you can put in the pot, and if it means two regular season games in the preseason, I think everyone can support that.”