With the NHL down to its final four teams in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Showtime is hitting the ice again to chronicle the conference finals and the path to the Stanley Cup Final for the Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. The premium cable network announced on Tuesday that it will air a second season of All Access: Quest for the Stanley Cup with the first episode to debut this coming Friday, May 19.
Showtime and the NHL are making the premiere episode available on a variety of platforms in an effort to attract viewers. Those who don’t subscribe to Showtime can also view the first episode on YouTube, SHO.com, NHL.com and NHL Network. But if you are a subscriber, the series will also be available on Showtime On Demand, Showtime Anytime, and through streaming services like Amazon, PlayStation, Google, Roku and Apple. (Season 1 is currently available on Amazon and Hulu for Showtime subscribers if you’re interested in last season’s conference finals.)
Check out the quick-cutting teaser for the weekly series:
OK, there were some quick flashes of teams that aren’t in the NHL conference finals (Blackhawks, Rangers, Capitals), but maybe some of those clips were from their respective series versus those teams still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Or this trailer was cut before the conference finals slate had been fully determined.
“Season One provided us with such a unique opportunity to give fans a glimpse of the inner-workings of the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final,” said NHL chief content officer and executive vice president Steve Mayer in an official statement. “We are thrilled that SHOWTIME is back to chronicle the amazing storylines, remarkable performances and incredible dedication required to win the most storied trophy in all of sports.” Mayer is also an executive producer for the series.
Last year’s edition ran for five 30-minute episodes through June 16, and this year’s series will follow the same timeline. Five episodes may not sound like much, but remember that this is a weekly series and that schedule will accommodate the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
All Access: Quest for the Stanley Cup premieres Friday, May 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET on Showtime.
About Ian Casselberry
Ian is a writer, editor, and podcaster. You can find his work at Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He's written for Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation.