Caps, Blackhawks dominate NBC Sports' 2018-19 broadcast schedule
NBC Sports will air a record 109 regular-season games during the 2018-19 campaign, the television network announced Monday.
The usual suspects headline the schedule. The Chicago Blackhawks lead the way with 19 appearances, while the Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals, will make 18.
As part of the announcement, NBC revealed its plans to rebrand Wednesday night coverage from "Rivalry Night" to "Wednesday Night Hockey." This year's 25 Wednesday broadcasts will feature 17 doubleheaders and their largest variety of teams to date, with the Capitals making the most appearances with eight.
NBC will also broadcast the 2019 Winter Classic between the Boston Bruins and Blackhawks, the Coors Light Stadium Series game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, and coverage from All-Star weekend in San Jose, including the game, which will be broadcast in prime time for the first time since 1997.
Here's a list of the number of national appearances each team will receive this season:
| Team | National Appearances | NBC | NBCSN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Boston Bruins | 14 | 2 | 12 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Calgary Flames | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 19 | 3 | 16 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Dallas Stars | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Florida Panthers | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Minnesota Wild | 11 | 2 | 9 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nashville Predators | 12 | 1 | 11 |
| New Jersey Devils | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| New York Islanders | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| New York Rangers | 14 | 5 | 9 |
| Ottawa Senators | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 17 | 4 | 13 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 15 | 2 | 13 |
| San Jose Sharks | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| St. Louis Blues | 10 | 2 | 8 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 12 | 1 | 11 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Washington Capitals | 18 | 4 | 14 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Let the games begin.