New York Islanders Exposure is Limited on National Broadcast Schedule

Not even a run to the Eastern Conference Finals could convince the execs at NBC Sports to cover the New York Islanders more this season.

The New York Islanders will have a mere two games televised to a national audience this year, both of which fall on Sundays. Their March 7 bout with the Buffalo Sabres at Nassau Coliseum will be the first of the two and air on NBC.

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The Islanders’ second appearance is a Sunday night contest against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on April 18. The NHL still has yet to announce start times for games this season.

The two nationally televised games are the same as last year’s total, which saw the New York Islanders face the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers on NBCSN. In 2018-19, the Islanders made only one appearance on NBCSN.

NBC Sports executives have often shied away from featuring the Islanders much for various reasons, however, after their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 1993, there was an argument to be made that they should get a bit more exposure.

By comparison, the New York Rangers will be seen on NBC and NBCSN a combined seven times this season. New Jersey will not be featured at all on either network this year.