WAKEFIELD, Mass. – Hockey East and New England Sports Network (NESN) have reached an agreement with Rogers Sportsnet in Canada to air conference games for the rest of the season, including the Hockey East tournament.
“This is a terrific development for our league and we appreciate NESN’s efforts to make this happen,” said Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna. “Perhaps a young Canadian hockey player will watch these games and proudly don a Hockey East jersey somewhere down the line.”
Boston University coach Jack Parker said the move comes at an opportune time for the sport.
“We’re in a battle with Major Junior A for seven or eight years. Frankly, we’ve been losing that battle because the NCAA kind of ties our hands as to when we can talk to kids and how we can market our product,” Parker said. “[Major Junior ] has gone out of their way to attack college hockey and destroy our pipelines. They have done it in a legislative way and a marketing way. They don’t want kids playing Tier 2 Hockey unless they don’t want them.”
“We have a much better product on the ice and in the classroom. And yet we’re not winning that battle sometimes because kids don’t know about us at 16. When they see us on TV across Canada they think `Boy, that looks like something I might want to save myself for. Why would I want to play one game in Major Junior A and then get sent down when I could keep my eligibility and play [in college]’.”
Sportsnet’s coverage will kickoff on Feb. 20 with Boston College at UNH live on Sportsnet East and Sportsnet Ontario. The following week, Massachusetts hosts Boston University on Feb. 27 that will also air live on Sportsnet East and Sportsnet Ontario.
“Sportsnet is pleased to take the plunge to broadcast NCAA Hockey. We remain optimistic that the level and quality of hockey shall resonate with our audience,” said Dave Akande, VP of Content at Rogers Sportsnet.
