Neither the NHL nor ESPN had confirmed the deal as of early Tuesday evening, and it's also unknown how much ESPN/Disney will be paying for the broadcast rights. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

NHL returning to ESPN on seven-year deal?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 3/9/21

When news broke in January that NBC Sports Network will shut down and stop operating by the end of the year, hopeful hockey fans wondered if the NHL could soon return to ESPN.

Such individuals can fire up that old familiar song:

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported on Tuesday that ESPN and the NHL have reached a seven-year broadcast agreement. Per the deal, ESPN will "broadcast four Stanley Cup Finals between 2022 and 2028."

Johnston added that it's unclear which media partner, such as NBC, will share the NHL package with ESPN.

Neither the NHL nor ESPN had confirmed the deal as of early Tuesday evening, and it's also unknown how much ESPN/Disney will be paying for the broadcast rights.

John Ourand of Sports Business Journal previously wrote that the NHL wanted to split its new media rights deal across at least two companies, similar to how the NFL airs Sunday afternoon games on both CBS and Fox during regular seasons.

One interesting note is that ESPN properties aren't hurting for live programming during NHL campaigns, as stations routinely air live college football and basketball games on weeknights and weekends. Logic suggests some of those contests will move to ESPN+ if the company chooses to air NHL matchups on channels such as ESPN and ESPN2.

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