Oilers leave Canadian NHL rivals in the dust with massive US TV advantage
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Edmonton leads every Canadian NHL team with eight US national TV games in 2026-27, while Ottawa, Vancouver and Calgary drew zero.
Edmonton is about to be seen on more American television screens than any other Canadian franchise this season.
According to national broadcast breakdowns released this week, the Oilers landed eight appearances across ESPN and TNT for 2026-27, easily the most among Canada's seven teams and a total that stands out compared to their provincial and division rivals.
The gap is stark. Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver did not draw a single US national broadcast, while Toronto managed just three and one of those is only a stream.
Montreal picked up six thanks to a heavier TNT slate, but even that falls short of Edmonton's total.
Winnipeg's lone appearance comes from the Heritage Classic against the Canadiens.
Why Edmonton keeps landing the marquee slots
It is not hard to figure out why American networks keep circling back to Edmonton.
Connor McDavid remains the face of the league, the Oilers have reached the last two Stanley Cup Finals, and that kind of playoff pedigree tends to translate directly into prime broadcast windows.
Networks build schedules around teams fans want to watch, and right now that is Edmonton more than any other team north of the border.
There is also a scheduling quirk worth noting.
The Oilers open the season on Sportsnet at home against Vancouver, a game that airs only in Canada and will not count toward the US total, but it sets the tone for a season where Edmonton rarely leaves the spotlight in either country.
What it means for the rest of the Canadian pack
For Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver, the zero count is a reminder of where they sit in the league's pecking order right now.
Two of the three did not make the playoffs last spring, and without a signature star or a deep postseason run, American networks simply have not found a reason to feature them.
Toronto's low number is more surprising given the market size, though a slow start last year likely played a factor.
Edmonton fans will not be complaining.
More national exposure means more eyeballs on a team that has spent the past three seasons proving it belongs on hockey's biggest stage, and the schedule backs that up before a single puck drops.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Kevin Bieksa's future with Sportsnet in jeopardy following surprising report
Kevin Bieksa's future with Sportsnet in jeopardy following surprising report