The NHL's television deal with NBC "continues to be utterly baffling," according to Mike Harrington of the BUFFALO NEWS. NBC games featuring the Penguins and C Sidney Crosby are "total overkill." But on Thursday, with Crosby at 999 career points and fans "more than ready to check out his quest for 1,000, what did the national audience get?" The Sabres and Avalanche, who have the fewest points in the NHL. Harrington: "Did anybody from sea to shining sea care about that game other than folks in Buffalo and ex-pats? No chance. And it was a snoozer. Yet another example of how NBC doesn't adjust on the fly when it should." There also is the "issue of studio shows." The NHL's version on NBC is "by far the worst of the four major sports." NBC could use some journalists "helping them out on the air in more than just intermission 'trade insider' segments" (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/19).
BACK IN THE BOOTH: NBC yesterday announced that Dave Strader will return to the network to call Sunday's Bruins-Stars game. Strader, the TV voice of the Stars, has also called games for NBC intermittently for more than 10 years but has missed more than eight months amid a cancer battle (THE DAILY). In Dallas, Mike Heika noted Strader returned to the booth Saturday night for Lightning-Stars after "missing the first 59 games" of the season. Strader said that he "worried that there were some moments that were 'rusty,' but the broadcast sounded smooth and he and analyst Daryl Reaugh fell back into an easy chemistry." Strader said that there were "challenges to getting that proper mix." Strader: "This is the first time, to be honest with you, that for four hours I didn't feel like I was sick at all. Maybe it was the adrenaline high, but I really, really feel great right now" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/19).
