The NHL’s biggest event started on April 19, 2025, with matchups like the St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets. TNT, one of the league’s major broadcasters, promised top-tier coverage with a star-studded team including Wayne Gretzky, “The Great One,” alongside experts like Anson Carter and host Liam McHugh. These icons know hockey inside out, with Gretzky’s nine Hart Trophies and Carter’s decade of NHL experience. Sounds like a dream team, right? Well, it should’ve been—until the broadcast itself dropped the puck.
Sports media analyst Braylon Breeze summed it up on X: “A Saturday primetime opening game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is being called remotely from a studio in Atlanta — with odd camera shots and pretty abysmal crowd audio. It’s unacceptable and clearly a bad look for the league, to say the least.” Fans echoed his frustration.”This is beyond pathetic. But nothing Bettman does to screw up the game surprises me anymore,” one fan remarked, reflecting broader dissatisfaction with the NHL’s handling of its product. Critics argue that the league has prioritized cost-cutting over quality, resulting in a broadcast that feels detached.
TNT’s decision to have announcers John Forslund, Jennifer Botterill, and Meaghan Mikkelson call the game from a studio in Atlanta, rather than rinkside in Winnipeg, was a head-scratcher for many. Remote broadcasts, once a necessity during COVID restrictions, have largely faded from sports coverage. Yet, TNT opted for this setup for one of the playoff’s marquee matchups, which saw the Jets beat the Blues 5-3, and fans noticed immediately. The energy of the arena—crucial for capturing the playoff atmosphere, was muted, with crowd noise sounding like it was piped in from a bad Zoom call.
A Saturday primetime opening game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is being called remotely from a studio in Atlanta — with odd camera shots and pretty abysmal crowd audio. It’s unacceptable and clearly a bad look for the league, to say the least.
— Braylon Breeze (@Braylon_Breeze) April 19, 2025
The NHL’s history with broadcasting isn’t spotless. ESPN also has issues like excessive shouting, overemphasis on stats, and little attention to behind-the-scenes stories. That being said, Braylon Breeze noted how, in its four seasons with the NHL, ESPN has “only called one game remotely— Boston–Florida on this year’s Opening Night, due to Hurricane Milton.” Breeze also clarified on the same X post on April 20, that ESPN will be sending John Buccigross and Kevin Weekes to Winnipeg to cover Game 2.
TNT might also have to follow suit and change its approach. Because fans think they deserve better.
NHL Fans slam poor Stanley Cup Broadcasting
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have sparked intense frustration among NHL fans, who have taken to social media to criticize the subpar broadcasting quality. Issues such as poor audio mixing, distant crowd noise, and questionable production decisions have overshadowed the excitement of the postseason, leaving fans feeling disconnected from the electric atmosphere of playoff hockey. The NHL’s broadcast partners, including ESPN and TNT, have faced backlash for failing to capture the intensity of live games, with many pointing fingers at the league’s leadership, including Commissioner Gary Bettman, for ongoing mismanagement.
One fan commented, “Pretty ironic that John Forslund keeps pointing out the ‘crazy atmosphere’ — while we can barely hear it. Especially assuming that’s all he can hear too.” After all, the chants of the in-arena audience are crucial for those trying to enjoy the game atmosphere from their homes. Another fan resonated with the sentiment as they wrote, “Literally sounds like the crowd is under water,” emphasizing the poor audio quality that has plagued telecasts.
“Exactly. Why isn’t it a priority to put the announcer AT the game?” another fan scratched their head. Really, on-site coverage should be a given, considering how a remote setup can lead to serious oversight. Last year, during Game 3 of the second round series between the Oilers and the Canucks, the broadcast duo of Alex Faust and Jennifer Botterill took as long as 3 minutes to notice that Calvin Pickard had replaced Stuart Skinner at the beginning of the 3rd period. Why? Because TNT wasn’t sending announcers to some games in Canada—didn’t matter if they were the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Even worse that the matchups were set days ago. They had plenty of time to figure it out and still fumbled it. Oh NHL…,” another fan said, pointing to the league’s apparent lack of preparation. With playoff schedules finalized well in advance, fans expected better execution.
These reactions, widely shared on platforms like X, underscore a growing disconnect between the NHL and its fan base. As the playoffs continue, fans are demanding improvements to ensure the Stanley Cup’s legacy is matched by its presentation.
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