INSIDE THE GLASS REPORTER TO CONTINUE AS NBC EXITS NHL

NBC’s coverage of the NHL ends after the Stanley Cup finals, but its impact on how the game is broadcast will carry on due to its different innovations in 15 years.

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The network’s coverage could conclude as soon as Monday night if the Tampa Bay Lightning complete a four-game sweep of the Montreal Canadiens.

“I think when the history books are written on the NBC era with the NHL over the last 15 years, the entire network has so much to be proud of,” play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert said.

NBC has added many technical innovations, but its most pronounced is having an analyst positioned inside the glass and between both team benches.

“Over in Sochi, they had three inside the glass positions between the benches during the Olympic tournament, and that made us all smile knowing that we had taken this concept from a board room at the NHL to the industry standard and the international standard, which was really gratifying,” NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood said. “We do think it’s changed the way people watch the game of hockey and consume it.”

Flood said there was initial pushback on having a reporter between the benches until there was a meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly before the start of NBC’s first season in 2005.