The current season of hockey is proving to be tougher, fiercer, and exhilarating with each passing game! With the NHL in full swing, the 4 Nations Cup bringing international heat, and now the Stadium Series adding some outdoor magic, it’s a non-stop rollercoaster for hockey fans. And as the Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets were preparing for their ice hockey match under the open sky, the level of excitement could not be higher. After all, this wasn’t just any game—it was a historic one.

With over 90,000 fans packing Ohio Stadium, this showdown was set to be the second-largest crowd in NHL history. A night to remember, right? Well… not exactly. The build up was real, but so was the disappointment when the puck did not drop on time. And let’s just say, patience wasn’t on the game plan. Social media exploded as hockey lovers called out the delay in the Stadium Series, turning what should’ve been an epic night into an all-out debate.

Ryan Hana, host of the @WingedWheelPod, hopped on X before the game and dropped a truth bomb: “Imagine sitting in the freezing cold for an outdoor NHL game in Ohio and having to wait longer for puck drop because there’s a college basketball game going on in Tennessee.” And let’s just say… fans were not having it.

The frustration was real, and NHL fans, already braving the cold for the Stadium Series, were left stewing as men’s college basketball took priority. Delayed puck drops? Inconvenienced die-hard hockey fans? Yeah, not exactly a winning combo.

In terms of hockey broadcasts, it is safe to say that the assist-to-issue ratio has not been the best this season. One fan expressed their frustration, saying, “The broadcast is also objectively terrible. There seems to be no reaction to anything actually happening in the game. Broadcasters seem to be reading from a script and jumping from segment to segment.” And honestly? That frustration isn’t new. The Stadium Series might have its own set of fresh problems, but bad broadcasts? That’s an ongoing saga.

Just ask Boston Bruins fans. Not too long ago, during an NHL game, Gino Hard joined mid-game with a clip that said it all: “Bruins power play goal? (cross). Chipotle ad? (check). Some Bruins fans had to miss a goal due to an unexpected advertisement.” Yup. While some fans would prefer to watch their team bury one, they were served some seasoning instead—just not in the manner they expected. Whether it is the script factor or the break at wrong times, fans of hockey are not happy with how their games are being presented. But this was just the beginning!

Fans angered over delay in the Stadium Series!

One would have thought that the chaos was over and that the game was set to go on when BOOM–another broadcast mishap! In the place of the ice-skating performance, they were entertained by a guest… a dog. And let’s just say they were not amused. As one fan ranted, “Then, when they finally get around to the game, they put a dog up on the screen! W*F #StadiumSeries.”

But hey, to be fair, this wasn’t just any random pup—it was Kirk Herbstreit’s dog and the broadcast crew also felt that he too should be included in the frame. Which, of course, did not change much, for fans were still not ready to accept it. “And then while trying to watch it, getting two camera angles of Kirk Herbstreit’s dog,” another user noted. Looks like hockey took a backseat to man’s best friend, and fans were barking mad about it!

And just when fans thought they had seen it all, boom—another curveball! Right in the middle of active play, the broadcast decided it was the perfect time for an interview with the Ohio State football team. One fan summed up the frustration perfectly: “And then there’s the stupid interview with the Ohio State football team DURING ACTIVE PLAY.” Yup, another reason that could make the hockey fans furious! And if this continues, then it is not only the anger that will accumulate, but the viewership might start to decline as well.

Because let’s be real, watching NHL games already feels like solving a puzzle. Just a month ago Ryan Hana himself had expressed frustration about how fans “need about a half-dozen different services/subscriptions to watch NHL games” and how navigating random network switches has become a drag. And fans felt that one.

From blackouts to flicking through hundreds of channels to now, a postponement of the Stadium Series, watching a simple game has become an extreme sport. One of the frustrated fans wrote, “Imagine trying to watch the hockey game but it keeps going picture in picture with football interviews.” At this rate, fans may require an encyclopedia just to understand how to follow their favorite sport, because this is not it.