Watching the NHL Without Cable
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| The first three months of the Leafs schedule. |
Now that we are no longer subscribed with cable, how am I to watch my beloved Toronto Make Me Laughs? Uhh... I meant Maple Leafs.
ZOMG! Leafs suck!
Yes, I know. I'm still going to cheer for them until they prove to be so bad, it's not worth cheering for until next season.
Shouldn't they be called the Maple Leaves?
Yes, if they were named after the leaves from the maple tree. However, the Maple Leafs were named after the Maple Leaf regiment under which legendary owner Conn Smythe served. My understanding is that because "Maple Leaf" is a noun, the plural of this noun only adds the 's'.
Doesn't matter! Leafs suck! something, something Plan the parade!
Okay... all kidding aside, after the disappointment that was the ending of the two previous seasons, I was convinced that I didn't need to watch the Leafs lose the nights they played.
Most game nights, I found myself giving up after the Buds went down 2-0 after 10 minutes of play*. I'd promptly turn off the TV and do something else that warranted my time.
If that was the case, they why would I need to pay for a cable subscription?
Frankly, watching live sports on TV was one of the main reasons we got a basic cable subscription.
However, with the Blue Jays and the Raptors** finding new ways to lose, the opportunity to watch these games was set aside in favour of something else.
However, what about those times I feel like tuning into a game?
Fortunately, for me, the CBC is still allowed to air some games... at least for the next 4 years. Going to the Maple Leafs website, I discovered that 24 games will be aired on Hockey Night in Canada.
Not bad.
That's 24 out of a possible 82 games.
That's probably more games than I watched in their entirety last season.
I also found another pleasant surprise. Seems City TV will be airing 4 games as well.
Last time I checked, which was this morning, we could pick up City TV on our HD antenna.
Sweet!
What about the games that will air on Sportsnet, TSN or some third world channel like Leafs TV***?
Nope, sorry.
Doesn't matter anyway. Most games that air on these channels air on weeknights anyway. I'm not missing anything because wifey and I usually go to bed early.
Of course, in 4 years when the deal CBC reached with Rogers expires, there's a chance CBC will be shut out of NHL hockey in similar fashion as Bell.
I'm predicting another 4 seasons of Maple Leaf futility.
Until then, so far we're undefeated in 2014-15! Go Leafs Go! Whoot!
*This happens more than you think. It became so routine, that I'd (jokingly) tell wifey I'd turn off the TV when the Leafs were losing 2-0 and estimated a 10 minute time frame. My jokes were surprisingly accurate. Shame I can't apply the same accurate foreshadowing towards other events such as the lottery.
**The Raptors were doing very well last season, but most games were on TSN2 or some junk channel that isn't a part of the basic cable package. When we did watch the games, mainly the playoffs, they found a way to lose.
***Seems there are no games that will air on Leafs TV unlike previous seasons. Doesn't make a difference. Whenever the game was on Leafs TV, I couldn't watch it because I only had the basic cable subscription.
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