Talking to sources today and it appears that it is all but a done deal in most people's minds that the USA National TV Contract currently split by NBC and Versus will bring in a new partner in 2009-2010: ESPN.

This is great news of course for all of American Hockey Fans.

Here is how one connected source says it will break down.

ESPN:

The new deal will consist of a Game of the Week on ESPN2 early in the season (most likely on Fridays) , ESPN will take over the Saturday and Sunday Afternoon schedules from NBC after the Pro Bowl, as well as the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals. The source went onto say, "There is a lot of ego in this world and ESPN wants a MAJOR trophy to be won on their channel. That may be the overall driving force here."

Versus:

Versus will continue its solid coverage with Games on Monday and Tuesday and the All-Star Weekend. ESPN back on the scene will be good for Versus in many ways. I hate the flack that Versus always gets for their hockey coverage. Maybe it's just because I remember a time before there was ANY hockey on in the states, but I firmly appreciate the work that Versus does in getting me extra coverage. The production value is really fine for me and most hockey fans who don't require all the bells and whistles.

In my opinion had ESPN kept their deal and Versus come on board as a network that just televised MORE games and not been a replacement for ESPN everyone would have just praised the Network's coverage. Instead we spent two years complaining about the millions of Americans who apparently go on vacation in order to watch hockey from their hotel rooms. Does it really matter if the local Holiday Inn has Versus? All we do know is that Versus is in millions of homes now.

NBC:

When NBC gave the NHL a National deal in which they essentially were paid to put on the sport there was no Winter Classic. Now NBC was rumored to have only kept the NHL deal going this year BECAUSE of the Winter Classic. I am told that NBC and the NHL are working a deal that will separate the Winter Classic out of the National Package and that NBC will televise ONLY the New Years Game which has become known in the industry as one of the best and fastest success stories in sports TV History..."The fastest a sport's event has become a tradition ever."

So what are your thoughts on this possible future of NHL TV in America?

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