Avalanche on ESPN and TNT 2021-22 schedule

Straight from the press release, here is the season-long ESPN/Hulu national schedule for the NHL, along with the TNT schedule, including the games involving the Colorado Avalanche. The first one is Oct. 19, Avs at Capitals on ESPN. And to answer your next question: no, there is still no resolution to the Comcast/Altitude impasse.

From the release:

The 2021 NHL FaceOff will feature a doubleheader matchup on ESPN with the early game showcasing the Pittsburgh Penguins against the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Seattle Kraken’s franchise debut against the Vegas Golden Knights at 10 p.m. ET. Both matchups will be simulcast on ESPN+.

ESPN+ AND HULU

Opening week on ESPN+ will feature the Minnesota Wild taking on the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, October 15. Momentum continues into the second week of the season beginning Tuesday, October 19, when the Colorado Avalanche and former first overall pick Nathan MacKinnon travel to the nation’s capital to take on Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. On Friday, October 22, the Boston Bruins will travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres in a divisional matchup. A historic Saturday night in Seattle caps off the second week of the regular season on ESPN+ and Hulu when the Seattle Kraken take the ice in Climate Pledge Arena for the first time in franchise history against their border rivals, the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, October 23.

Each Tuesday in 2021, October 19 through December 28, ESPN+ will host at least one exclusive matchup with highlights including the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the St. Louis Blues on November 30, the New York Rangers versus the Colorado Avalanche on December 14, the Washington Capitals versus the Philadelphia Flyers on December 21 and the 2021 Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 28.

Additional Friday game highlights include the Colorado Avalanche versus the Seattle Kraken on November 19, the New York Rangers versus the Boston Bruins on November 26 and a Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin matchup on December 10 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

ESPN+ continues its premier slate in 2022 with Tuesday and Thursday night matchups through the remainder of the 2021-22 regular season. Highlights include: Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, January 4, Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, January 6, Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins on Thursday, January 20, Minnesota Wild at Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, March 8, and the new-look Florida Panthers with Joe Thornton take on the San Jose Sharks on March 15 as Thornton returns to San Jose after spending 15 seasons as a Shark. In a Thursday night doubleheader on March 24, the St. Louis Blues host the Philadelphia Flyers, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Los Angeles Kings at the STAPLES Center. 

In April, ESPN+ will feature the following match ups:  Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers on Thursday, April 7, the Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, April 19, the Philadelphia Flyers at Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, April 25, as the only NHL game that day, and a Connor McDavid-Sidney Crosby showdown between the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, April 26. The final game of the ESPN+ schedule will feature the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the New York Islanders on Thursday, April 28, in a rematch of the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals.

Additionally, ESPN+ will stream more than 1,000 out-of-market games, all as part of an ESPN+ subscription.

ESPN+ and Hulu exclusive game schedule:

ESPN

ESPN will carry 18 exclusive regular-season games beginning with the NHL FaceOff on Opening Night. ESPN will air an exclusive game each Tuesday throughout October. On October 19, ESPN focuses on former first overall pick and three-time Stanley Cup Champion Patrick Kane in the Chicago Blackhawks’ home opener at the United Center against the New York Islanders at 8 p.m. ET. The following Tuesday, October 26, the Vegas Golden Knights travel to take on the 2021 President’s Trophy winners, the Colorado Avalanche. ESPN will carry three Thursday night matchups in January, beginning on Thursday, January 6, with the Minnesota Wild traveling to Boston to take on the Bruins. The following two Thursdays on ESPN feature the Philadelphia Flyers at the Boston Bruins, followed by the Colorado Avalanche taking on the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, January 20.

In February, ESPN will also carry the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, February 4 in primetime from Las Vegas. Following the Winter Olympic Break, as the regular season pushes towards the playoffs, ESPN ramps up its coverage with three doubleheaders in the month of April. On Tuesday, April 12, the Philadelphia Flyers take on the Washington Capitals followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Dallas Stars. The following week on Thursday, April 21, the NHL’s 2021 leading goal scorer Auston Mathews and the Toronto Maple Leafs travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Lightning, followed by the St. Louis Blues at San Jose Sharks. Rounding out ESPN doubleheaders on Tuesday, April 26, the New York Islanders take on the Washington Capitals followed by St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche.

ESPN exclusive game schedule:

ABC

ABC will carry 10 regular season games, including the 2021 Thanksgiving Showdown between the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, November 26.  Additional highlights include the 2022 All-Star Game on Saturday, February 5 from Las Vegas. Beginning February 26 – following the Winter Olympic break – ABC will host a weekly Saturday NHL game throughout the remainder of the regular season. The first of nine Saturday matchups will feature the New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins. Additional highlights include a powerhouse matchup of Alex Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals versus Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, April 9.

All ABC games will be simulcast on ESPN+.

Exclusive ABC schedule below:  

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

The NHL’s Stanley Cup Final and Stanley Cup Playoffs action will return to the ABC and ESPN networks – including exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final in four of the seven years of the deal – beginning with the 2021-22 season. Additionally, in each season of the agreement, ESPN and ABC will have live, exclusive coverage of one Conference Final series and half of all First Round and Second Round games from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In March, The Walt Disney Company, ESPN and the National Hockey League announced a historic and innovative seven-year television, streaming and media rights deal, beginning with the 2021-2022 season and continuing through the 2027-28 season.

Now, the TNT schedule: Avs on five games: