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| NHL on ABC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | ABC Hockey Saturday |
| Genre | Hockey telecasts |
| Presented by | Sean McDonough Ray Ferraro Emily Kaplan Bob Wischusen Ryan Callahan Leah Hextall Mike Monaco A. J. Mleczko Blake Bolden Dave Jackson Steve Levy John Buccigross Mark Messier P. K. Subban Arda Ocal Kevin Weekes |
| Theme music composer | Bob Christianson |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 (1993–1994 version) 5 (2000–2004 version) 7 (2021 version) 14 (total) |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Various NHL arenas (game telecasts and some pregame, intermission segments, and occasional postgame) ESPN's Bristol, CT studios (pregame, intermission segments, and occasional postgame) |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 180 minutes or until the end of the game |
| Production companies | ABC Sports (1993–1994; 2000–2004) ESPN (2000–2004; 2021–present) |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC ESPN+ (simulcasts, 2021–present) ESPNEWS (overflow during doubleheader weeks) |
| Release | April 18, 1993 – May 1, 1994 |
| Release | February 6, 2000 – June 7, 2004 |
| Release | November 26, 2021 – present |
| Related | |
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| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
The NHL on ABC is an American presentation of National Hockey League (NHL) games produced by ESPN, and televised on ABC in the United States.
The network first broadcast NHL games during the 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 1993, under a two-year time-buy agreement with ESPN. After two years, the NHL left ABC for newcomer Fox, while remaining with ESPN.
As part of a joint contract with ESPN, which was reached right before the 1998–99 season, the NHL returned to ABC on February 6, 2000, with their coverage of the 2000 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto. Regular season game telecasts returned to ABC on March 18, 2000. ABC also gained the rights to select weekend games from each round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and the last five games of the Stanley Cup Finals.[1] After the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, the NHL left ABC again, this time for NBC because Disney executives admitted that they overpaid for the 1999–2004 deal. ESPN, who was set to continue with the NHL, later dropped it from their schedules after the 2004–05 lockout.
On March 10, 2021, ESPN announced a new contract to hold half of the NHL's media rights beginning in the 2021–22 season. In this deal, ABC will broadcast up to 10 regular season games per season, primarily late-season games of the week (branded as ABC Hockey Saturday presented by Expedia for sponsorship purposes), and the All-Star Game. ABC exclusively televises the Stanley Cup Finals in even-numbered years. All games carried by ABC are streamed on ESPN+.
Like other U.S. national NHL broadcasts, games may be available in Canada on Sportsnet or streamed on Sportsnet+ as part of a 12-year agreement with the NHL that lasts to the end of the 2025–26 season, subject to blackout restrictions.
- ^ Pergament, Alan (30 September 1999). "With Fox Gone, NHL Turns All-Disney". The Buffalo News.