It was a big night for Turner Sports as the launch of NHL on TNT coverage with a preseason doubleheader featuring the Boston Bruins hosting the Philadelphia Flyers followed by the Vegas Golden Knights hosting the Los Angeles Kings. The puck dropped on their coverage around 7:00 p.m. EST and, well, it looks like they’re still working out the kinks.
First things first, the most important question is what the NHL on TNT score bug looks like and we’ll go ahead and give that thumbs up for its clean look.
Here’s a look at the expanded bar across the top of the screen, featuring power play info, players on the ice, and even a shot count.
https://twitter.com/PuckReportNHL/status/1443724395185381377
The regular bug appears in the top left corner, that is, unless the broadcast does something that we didn’t think could happen anymore and sends the top of the screen to the bottom, as if someone was messing with the tracking on their VCR. As Tim Burke points out below, we don’t even know how that is possible.
https://twitter.com/bubbaprog/status/1443741957445070852
you are watching the NHL on TNT pic.twitter.com/qWGanCwHB1
— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) October 1, 2021
Some people also screengrabs of fuzzy, distorted broadcasts the likes of which many viewers haven’t seen since they tried to watch The Spice Channel.
https://twitter.com/vgkhawkeyfan/status/1443737914266034178
There were also reports of audio issues from some viewers but we’re going to assume these are issues that can get worked out. In the meantime, we got our first meme-worthy moment involving the NHL on TNT studio in Atlanta. During the first intermission, host Liam McHugh, analyst Anson Carter and analyst Rick Tocchet were having a discussion around cross-checking when Tocchet got up to demonstrate how his solution would be to kick an opponent in the balls.
We start with Rick Tocchet suggesting players kick back with their skate into the nuts to stop the cross checking epidemic pic.twitter.com/hkcw3dwMix
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) October 1, 2021
“Oh…whoa,” said McHugh. “I’ll frankly never get up from the desk again.” Fair enough.
There’s still a lot of hockey ahead this evening and this season for Turner but the early returns seem promising, especially amongst sports media folks who already have an affinity for TNT’s NBA version.
The NHL on TNT studio already better than the NBC studio.
But you know, the bar was hell.
— Andrew Hammond (@ahammALDC) October 1, 2021
https://twitter.com/bobano/status/1443736139999887367
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.