ESPN Accused of Hiding Minnesota Wild Game in Unusual Time Slot
The National Hockey League’s (NHL) desire to broadcast playoff games on national television has led to a contentious scheduling decision, with the Minnesota Wild’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights set to start at 10:00 pm Central Time. This unusual time slot has sparked criticism from fans and analysts, who argue that it disregards the needs of die-hard supporters who are eager to watch the game.
According to an article published on Hockey Wilderness, a leading source for Minnesota Wild news and analysis, the NHL’s desire to showcase playoff games on national television has resulted in a scheduling decision that prioritises games with broader appeal. As the article notes, “The NHL wants its playoff games on national television. ESPN knows fewer fans leaguewide will watch the Minnesota Wild-Vegas Golden Knights game than the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, which they put in primetime.”
In an interview with Hockey Wilderness, fans expressed frustration with the scheduling decision, which they believe disregards their needs and preferences. As one fan noted, “It doesn’t have to be this way. The Wild could play this game at 8:30 pm Central Time and the home games at 7:30 pm. It might be a little later than we’d all prefer, but Vegas is on Pacific Time. 5:30 and 6:30 pm games feel like the proper compromise.”
The article on Hockey Wilderness also highlights the significance of Game 2 for the Wild, who are looking to steal a win in Vegas and flip the home-ice advantage. However, the sportsbooks are not optimistic, with the Golden Knights listed as a -250 favourite to win Game 2. According to Moneypuck, the Wild have just a 20% chance of advancing, down from 32.6% when the series started.
Despite these unfavourable odds, fans of the Wild remain hopeful, citing the team’s recent performances and the return of key players such as Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek. As the article on Hockey Wilderness notes, “Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek are healthy! Zeev Buium has arrived from Denver! Matt Boldy potted two goals last night! That’s all fine and dandy. Believe in miracles, to borrow a phrase.”
However, the article also acknowledges that the Wild’s chances of winning the series are slim, with an analytical assessment suggesting that they would win just one in five games against the Golden Knights. As the article notes, “Analytically, if the Wild play this series five times, they win it once. Still, that’s better than once every nine times! You’re gonna tune into Tuesday’s game, sleep be damned. So will people in Vegas, who never sleep.”
The scheduling decision has also been criticised for prioritising games with broader appeal over those with more niche followings. As the article on Hockey Wilderness argues, “ESPN has tacitly stated that puckheads from Revere or Royal Oak are more interested in a game between two Florida teams. I will whisper this softly, but they’re probably right.”
In conclusion, the decision to broadcast the Minnesota Wild’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:00 pm Central Time has sparked criticism from fans and analysts, who argue that it disregards the needs of die-hard supporters. As the article on Hockey Wilderness concludes, “Play Minnesota’s games on local television. Drop the puck at a time that respects people’s work schedules. Allow kids to watch and become fans. Nobody cares about this game outside of Woodbury and Henderson. Bloomington and Summerlin. Lakeville and Spring Valley.”
The views expressed in this article are those reported by Hockey Wilderness, a leading source for Minnesota Wild news and analysis. For more information, please visit
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