The NHL may have a plethora of broadcasting options across its 31 markets but on any given night for any given team there isn’t much of a choice. The local broadcast in a local market has a virtual tyranny on television rights.



Sometimes it’s a benevolent dictatorship, offering measured, intelligent commentary and high technical quality; the broadcasting equivalent of Frederick of Prussia or Casimir III of Poland. In other jurisdictions it’s less benign, with erratic play-by-play or outrageous commentary prompting viewers to mute the television and accompany that silent picture with sound from the local radio announcers in an act of quiet rebellion.



This list is aimed at separating the best from the worst, identifying standouts and disappointments alike.



It started off with the survey. For nearly a month, hockey writers across The Athletic shared the link and asked their readers to share their opinions on their local broadcast teams and the...