Edmonton Oilers Added To NBC Broadcast Schedule

For the first time since the 2007-08 season, the Edmonton Oilers will be going national in the United States. Last weekend, I looked at how NBC’s executives were discussing adding both Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews to their national broadcast package, as the two were taking the NHL by storm.

On Thursday, NBC announced that it would be adding both of them to their schedule in the easiest way possible, by putting their second meeting of the season on NBCSN. The game, which will take place on November 29th at Rogers Place, will air on the network following coverage of the Bruins Vs. Flyers game.

Wanna watch Matthews vs. McDavid? We’ve added @Leafs
– @EdmontonOilers to Nov 29 schedule: https://t.co/mmw8AmVITt pic.twitter.com/YysmmavByC

— NBCSN (@NBCSN) November 10, 2016

It may not mean much to most Oiler fans, after all most live in Canada, this is still a pretty big moment for the club. The Oilers have essentially been left behind by American media for the last decade while the team toiled at the bottom of the standings and emerged as professional sports’ biggest joke.

Now, with a superstar in hand and a team that is playing very good hockey, the Edmonton Oilers are once again returning to prominence in the States. You could argue, as I will, that this represents the beginning of a return to relevance for this once proud franchise.

The Oilers are garnering attention in the States again, and in big markets too. People are talking about the team’s start to the season. People are talking about Connor McDavid and his greatness, people want to see him play on TV. NBC is finally giving into that.

For American Oiler fans like myself, this is a pretty exciting moment. Instead of looking through exclusive hockey channels in the depths of the TV guide, and often finding it in standard definition only, the Oilers will be on the big boy network for the entire country to see.

McDavid Vs. Matthews, Edmonton Vs. Toronto, and it’s all going to be on national TV in the United States. Sure seems like the Edmonton Oilers are slowly gaining relevance again. Now, now they need to keep up the on-ice success.