“I think NBC and NHL have done a lot for one another over the last 16 years,” admitted sports media rights advisor Lee Berke in July 2021. And ending an almost twenty-year-long partnership because of financial issues is never an easy decision to make. And yet, when the NHL and NBC Sports parted ways after the 2020-21 season, fans were hopeful that the tough call would be a boon for lovers of the sport. But as the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs approach, the hockey fans still can’t get over how Wayne Gretzky & Co. have handled things so far.
The “Great One” is easily one of the most identifiable faces in the world of hockey, and for many good reasons. Obviously, with Gretzky on board, TNT was poised to deliver an experience like never before after the NHL joined hands with the network following the departure from NBC. However, it seems like fans aren’t convinced that moving to TNT was the right thing to do after all.
The official NHLonTNT account went on X on April 19 to share their expert panel’s picks for the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals. After reminding Wayne Gretzky and the rest of the experts of their predictions for the championship game from the season’s Opening Night, the social media post updated the list. However, fans weren’t even concerned by the pundits’ takes on the matter and were instead focused on how TNT hasn’t been able to match the community’s expectations.
Ever since signing deals with ESPN and TNT in 2021, NHL coverage on these two networks has been drawing much larger audiences as compared to the time when NBC had the broadcasting rights. And yet, fans slammed Wayne Gretzky’s crew for failing to match the excitement of the sport. “Worst hockey coverage I have ever seen,” one fan thrashed TNT for its negligence in catering to the fans’ emotions and actual needs.
It’s been a LONG season so now we have to look back at the guys’ Stanley Cup picks from Opening Night pic.twitter.com/JeetN4ZUfb
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) April 19, 2025
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The post Calls Mount Against TNT as Wayne Gretzky & Crew’s Stanley Cup Playoff Broadcasting Gets Trashed by Fans: “Worst” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
