In California, Michael Lev notes despite the Ducks' successful season, they are "scheduled to make only two more appearances on NBCSN the rest of the season." Meanwhile the last-place Sabres "are scheduled to appear seven more times." NBC "doesn't have the same flexible-scheduling mechanism with the NHL that it does the NFL." But NBC Sports Exec Producer Sam Flood said that there is "some hope of the Ducks getting the national exposure they deserve." Flood said that "one of the challenges in scheduling West Coast teams is the time difference." A 5:00pm PT start "isn't ideal for viewers" on the West Coast. But with the Kings "scheduled for six more appearances," there is "no excuse for the Ducks to get so little air time" (ORANGE COUNTRY REGISTER, 1/24).
QUICK SHIFT: In Albany, Pete Dougherty notes NBC analyst Jeremy Roenick "plans to be at both" Ducks-Kings on Saturday and Rangers-Devils on Sunday. Roenick is "the only member of NBC's crew to enjoy the warmth of southern California on one day, then endure the brisk air at Yankee Stadium less than 12 hours later." Roenick will then stay in N.Y., along with "most of Sunday's NBC crew, to call Wednesday night's Rangers-Islanders game from Yankee Stadium" (Albany TIMES UNION, 1/24).
BEHIND THE SCENES: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Etan Vlessing wrote the NHL's behind-the-scenes documentaries have been giving fans "an unprecedented look inside the minds of star players." But "NHL Revealed: A Season Like No Other" now "gets viewers into a maternity ward." A camera crew follows Islanders RW Kyle Okposo "into a hospital waiting room before and after the birth of his first child." In the same episode, cameras follow Devils G Martin Brodeur as he "reunites with his family after the recent death of his father." "NHL Revealed" is a seven-part series that will "follow top stars."The drama in the series "build as celebrity players transition from the NHL to Sochi, before Olympic rivals resume life as pro hockey teammates" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 1/23).
