Leafs fans keep asking why puck drop is 1:30 pm, here's the real reason
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Maple Leafs play at a much earlier time today in order to not only prevent overlap with the NFL Playoffs, but also to appease a new NHL broadcast partner.
As Toronto looks to bounce back from a rough 6-3 loss on Friday, they have a matinee matchup with the Colorado Avalanche, scheduled for a very odd time when it comes to a regular NHL game as the teams are expected to line up at 1:30 PM.
It's certainly weird for fans who may not also realize there's an easier game, however this was completely by design.
Why Toronto plays matinee matchup but for good reason
According to Lance Hornby of The Toronto Sun, there's a combination of factors leading into the game, including a very important one to the NHL:
Tall order for erratic Leafs to beat Avs twice in two weeks, but they've yet to win on a 5-game homestand.
The unusual 1:30 start appears to be a mix of the condensed Olympic sked, a wish to stay clear of NFL games and a good start time in Europe for a new NHL broadcast partner.
The unusual 1:30 start appears to be a mix of the condensed Olympic sked, a wish to stay clear of NFL games and a good start time in Europe for a new NHL broadcast partner.
With the AFC Championship Game scheduled for 3:00 PM, the league wanted to avoid any issues when it comes to overlap although there may be a little bit especially if there are any delays or the game heads into overtime.
We all know the NHL schedule is crammed too because of the Olympics however it's very interesting to see that the new deal with DAZN is also a key factor.
For fans in Europe (Sweden for example) the time of the game would be 7:30 PM in their time zone, which would give them much more of an ability to see their favorite players and can actually catch a live game as opposed to watching replays or adjusting their schedule.
Hopefully everyone who tunes in this afternoon gets a much different Maple Leafs team on Sunday and perhaps this is just the shock they need to wake up and get their homestand back on track before things get ugly.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 25|848 ANSWERS Leafs fans keep asking why puck drop is 1:30 pm, here's the real reason Will you be watching the Maple Leafs' afternoon game vs. Colorado? | ||
| Yes | 466 | 55 % |
| No | 382 | 45 % |
| List of polls | ||