The NHL Makes A Schedule Change For The Upcoming Rangers Game Against The Sabres
The NHL has decided to make a small change to the start time of the December 11th game involving the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres.
The National Hockey League announced a change in its 2024-25 regular-season schedule.
There was no immediate word on a reason for the move. Game #457, the New York Rangers hosting the Buffalo Sabres was to feature a 7:30 p.m. ET puck drop on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
It has been moved a half hour earlier to 7 p.m. ET. It will still be nationally televised in the United States on TNT, truTV, and MAX.
The NHL didn't give any reason for such a change of schedule.
It is not new to see schedule changes like this.
Date and time changes in games are pretty common in the league for various reasons.
Those can include, but are not limited to: television network conflicts, unexpected logistical issues, or other events that may ultimately affect arena availability.
The time of gameplay also interests broadcasters, for they would want to get their best exposure without conflicts with other high-profile events.
Other times, adjustments may be made for smoother transitions in live broadcasts or even based on audience preference.
It should be underlined that schedule changes, minor in nature, normally involve a lot of stakeholders: teams, arenas, media partners, and sometimes even the transportation authorities of the locality.
As for fans, it's more likely to feel such changes in pre-game plans, though commonly the league tries to make sure the changes are well-advertised so as not to create discomfort for anyone.
This is really how professional sports scheduling goes about, and the dynamic nature in which one needs to be flexible has shown true in this situation.
Viewed by fans, the game is shifted to a new time to make sure everyone gets the thrill of the game.
