Connor McDavid could be one of the few best players in the NHL. Like, right now. He was also born in 1997.
So, you'd think the best hockey talent to come along since Sidney Crosby would pop up on national American TV a couple times this season. You'd also be wrong.
MORE: Could these veteran goalies be on the move this summer?
Exactly zero Oilers games are on the 106-game slate schedule for NBC and NBC Sports this season. The odd Edmonton game will probably pop on NHL Network, but ... does that really count? No.
This is two things.
A) It's predictable, because the Oilers aren't any good, and Canadian viewers don't count toward the bottom line here. Hockey, at its core, is a locally driven sport. Fans watch their teams, but beyond that, all bets are off.
B) It's stupid, because beyond all signs point to McDavid dominating the league in short order. Figure out a way to get him on NBC Sports, maybe by booking him against Jack Eichel and the Sabres, whose ratings are consistently strong and likely to improve. Take the hit, and acknowledge that McDavid is a good enough player to transcend at least a portion of the regionalism that greases the wheels.
And, if nothing else, throw a bone to existing NHL fans who've spent the last five years hearing about McDavid. He was hurt last year; there's a really good chance that huge American hockey fans have literally never seen him play. They'll have to wait another year, unless Edmonton makes the playoffs, or they buy an NHL.tv subscription (available soon!).
Some other notes from the schedule:
— Taylor Hall and the Devils are on once (Dec. 29 against the Capitals).
— Jaromir Jagr and the Panthers are also on once (Feb. 15 against San Jose.).
— P.K. Subban and the Predators are on twice (Oct. 14 against Chicago and April 6 against Dallas).
— The defending champ Penguins are on NBC three times, and on seven of the 24 NBC Sports Wednesday Night Rivalry telecasts. Seven rivalries seems like a lot.
— NBC will air all three outdoor games (Red Wings-Maple Leafs in Toronto on Jan. 1, Blackhawk-Blues in St. Louis on Jan, 2 and Flyers-Penguins at Heinz Field on Feb. 25).