SECAUCUS, N.J. — NHL Network’s nightly studio show NHL Tonight will reach its 5,000th episode on Tuesday, Oct. 27, with a four-hour anniversary broadcast beginning at 7 p.m. ET from its Secaucus studio.
The show has been on the air from New Jersey since October 2015 and is now in its 12th season based there. Jamison Coyle, Tony Luftman, Mike Johnson, Mike Rupp and Kevin Weekes — all members of the original Secaucus-era crew — will handle the milestone edition.
Quick facts
- NHL Tonight’s 5,000th episode airs Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. ET.
- The anniversary broadcast will run four hours.
- E.J. Hradek and Michael Del Zotto host NHL Tonight: First Shift at 4 p.m. ET.
- NHL Now follows at 5 p.m. ET with Kathryn Tappen, Brian Boyle and Nate Thompson.
- Both earlier programs will also recognize the NHL Tonight milestone.
The anniversary show will retain its usual mix of league-wide breakdowns and live looks at games, while also digging into defining clips and stories from its 11 seasons in Secaucus. Special guests are also planned.
David Proper, the NHL’s chief media officer, called the 5,000-show mark a reflection of the work put in by the production staff and on-air team over the years. He said the program has kept pace with the changing game while continuing to give viewers analysis, storytelling and a direct connection to hockey.
Coyle said the crew has been fortunate to watch the sport’s biggest players, games and moments from close range, adding that telling those stories nightly has been “the privilege of a lifetime.” He said he is ready for another 5,000 broadcasts.
Johnson pointed to the people behind the desk and in the control room as the heart of the operation. For the former NHL forward, walking into the network has often carried the familiar feel of returning to a locker room, he said.
Luftman said the response from viewers around the game has consistently reinforced the staff’s approach. Fans, players, coaches and league executives have told the network that hockey deserves the detailed treatment the show gives it, he said.
Rupp recalled both the nightly sweep around the league and the larger assignments, including being on location when the Stanley Cup is awarded. Weekes said the program has helped put a spotlight on the moments that stay with fans: NHL debuts, first goals, landmark nights, signature plays and the chase for the Cup.
The room behind the show
NHL Tonight broadcasts from “The Rink,” a redesigned 1,200-square-foot set built with the look of a fan cave. The studio includes 14-foot walls carrying the names of 10 Stanley Cup-winning teams, along with 30-foot overhead arches modeled after old ice houses.
A 20-foot LED screen spans the rear of the set, supplying game video, arena images and show-specific graphics. The room serves as the network’s nightly hub for a schedule that stretches across the regular season and into the league’s major events.
The program won a Sports Emmy in 2016 for Outstanding Post-Produced Graphic Design, recognizing its opening sequence. Its coverage calendar also includes the NHL All-Star Game, Stadium Series, Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final, NHL Draft, trade deadline, free agency, the World Junior Championship, Hockey Hall of Fame events, and the Patty Kazmaier and Hobey Baker awards.
