What you will find in the article:
- NHL matches are broadcast free of charge by Nova and Prima on selected channels.
- Nova Sport 1 and 2 will broadcast 65 matches up to 1 November.
- Prima will offer 14 matches a week via the Prima stream and Prima Sport.
- The broadcasts include Czech commentary and pre-match studio programmes.
- Matches usually start in the evenings at weekends.
During the regular season of this year’s NHL – the most prestigious ice hockey league, which has just begun – the Nova and Prima groups will offer up to 24 matches a week. Each group has 14 matches at its disposal, ten of which are exclusive and four for simultaneous broadcast. The two broadcasters will share the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup play-offs, and every match in the final will be shown on both groups’ channels. According to the NHL’s announcement, Nova holds the broadcasting rights until the 2030/31 season. The NHL announced the news on 29 September, the day of the season opener between Carolina and Florida.
Nova will use Nova Sport and Oneplay, as well as Nova Action at weekends
TV Nova broadcasts the NHL primarily on the pay-TV channels Nova Sport 1 and Nova Sport 2 and on the Oneplay platform. It also schedules selected matches on the free-to-air channel Nova Action. The October schedule features one match on Nova Action: the Boston Bruins versus the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday 10 October at 7.05 pm. For free-to-air terrestrial broadcasts, viewers will have to make do with standard-definition coverage. HD quality is reserved for paid services.
From 1 October to 1 November, Nova has 65 matches scheduled across its sports channels. Of these, 49 will be broadcast on Nova Sport 1 and 16 on Nova Sport 2. Most broadcasts begin after midnight, most commonly between 00:05 and 04:35. During the opening weekend, Nova Sport 1 will feature, amongst other matches, the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Montreal Canadiens on the night of Sunday 4 October from 1.05 am. On the same night, Nova Sport 2 will broadcast the Colorado Avalanche versus the St Louis Blues from 3.05 am.
NHL matches on the Nova group’s channels; Source: TV Nova, graphic created using Higgsfield AI
Schedule of October NHL matches broadcast on Nova Group channels; Source: TV Nova, graphic generated by Higgsfield AIPrima will stream most matches
Prima will offer 14 matches a week on its streaming platform, prima+, and one selected match will be broadcast simultaneously on the free-to-air channel Prima sport. To kick off the season, Prima sport has scheduled six broadcasts. In the early hours of Thursday 1 October, from 1.30 am, it will broadcast the Philadelphia Flyers v Pittsburgh Penguins match. This will be followed in the early hours of Friday 2 October by the New York Rangers v Tampa Bay Lightning match from 1.00 am and the Vancouver Canucks v Edmonton Oilers match from 4.00 am.
On the night of Saturday 3 October, the Winnipeg Jets take on the Boston Bruins from 2.00 am. Boston will also take to the ice against the Minnesota Wild on the night of Sunday 4 October at 2.00 am. On the same day at 7.00 pm, Prima Sport will broadcast the match between the Detroit Red Wings and the Winnipeg Jets. Prima has not yet published the specific schedule for the coming weeks.
“Looking ahead to the coming weeks, the editorial team does not yet wish to be entirely specific, as changes may occur. We can only confirm that, once fans have tuned in to Prima Sport for the first time, we should settle into a schedule of one or two matches a week. Most often at times that are attractive to Czech viewers,” the Prima media group stated in response to an enquiry from MediaGuru.cz. The broadcasts are accompanied by Czech commentary and, for selected matches, pre-match and intermission studio segments.
Overview of the opening NHL matches on prima+; Source: TV Prima, graphics generated by Higgsfield AIWeekend broadcasts in the evening
For viewers in the Czech Republic, the most accessible weekend matches are those that start in the evening. Nova Sport 1 will broadcast the following matches:
- On Sunday 11 October at 23:05, the Washington Capitals take on the Seattle Kraken.
- On Monday 12 October at 7.05 pm, the Buffalo Sabres take on the Florida Panthers.
- On Saturday 17 October, two evening matches: at 19:05, the Washington Capitals versus the New Jersey Devils, and at 21:35, the Winnipeg Jets versus the Carolina Hurricanes
- On Saturday 24 October at 19:05, the Philadelphia Flyers take on the Anaheim Ducks
- On Saturday 31 October at 7.05 pm, the New York Islanders take on the Edmonton Oilers.
- Nova Sport 2 will broadcast the Dallas Stars v New York Islanders match on Sunday 25 October at 11.05 pm.
Source: mediaguru.cz