The speed, the action, the thrill! These are all that make hockey a beautiful game. But to ensure the fans who haven’t made it to the stadium also get an unforgettable experience, the commentators become of paramount importance. With the 2025 playoffs in full swing, the NHL commentators are working overtime to keep the community updated on all the games. However, TNT’s controversial decision on its broadcasting strategies is leaving fans clamoring for a change ASAP.

NHL broadcasting and fans’ issues with the same are a tale of woes that never seem to end. Just days ago, TNT was once again at the center of things as fans claimed that they weren’t up to the mark for the task despite having the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, on its panel. And now, as the Oilers and the Kings locked horns for Game 3 of Round 1, the allegations came flying again.

Creator of NHL xG Bot, Neil Pierre-Louis, took to X on April 26 to share how the Oilers’ game-winning goal had very different depictions on two different broadcasting networks. “Here is a comparison of the GWG for Oilers Kings on TNT (remote broadcast) and Sportsnet (in person),” reads the caption of the post, as the two accompanying videos highlight just why TNT is on the receiving end of the fans’ complaints.

While the remote commentator on the TNT network does his best to live up to the moment when Evan Bouchard scored the fifth goal for Edmonton, the obvious absence of the crowd’s cheer makes the whole experience somewhat dull. On the other hand, Sportsnet’s coverage allows the fans to enjoy the goal to its fullest as the in-house fans’ loud applause elevates the whole moment to a whole different level.

Along with Pierre-Louis, others were also annoyed by how TNT has been handling things ever since the NHL ended its relationship with NBC Sports. Renowned hockey expert Braylon Breeze also slammed TNT for its remote broadcasting setup. “TNT Sports pays $225M a year for NHL rights, yet it’s somehow “too expensive” to send commentators to numerous playoff games,” Breeze fumed on X on April 26, while noting how that leads to a “subpar” experience being delivered to the NHL fans. “Remote broadcasts are a detriment to the fans and the industry,” Breeze ranted on via his other X channel, NHL Announcer Schedules.

These grievances get further backing as we take a look at the video clip Pierre-Louis recently shared via his X handle. In the video, a small clip from an old New York vs Buffalo game can be seen, covered by the iconic commentator Joe Benianti. In that video, the electrifying atmosphere from the stadium can be felt accurately, which helps to make the whole affair much more intense.

Naturally, fans were in full agreement with Neil’s sentiments. “By muting the crowd noises, you lose the ‘feel’ of the game that can’t be compensated by two guys in a remote studio 1,000 s of miles away,” one fan stated the obvious, while also mentioning that the TNT can easily fix this and give the NHL community the experience it deserves. Others also came forward with similar remarks.

The NHL community lashes out at TNT’s baffling stance

Recent surveys have shown that the NHL viewership in the US has been steadily declining. Most of the reasons for this downward trend have been linked to network issues, which have prompted audiences to look for other options to get their updates on the NHL. With that in mind, fans can’t comprehend why TNT would do something to hurt its own business. “It’s embarrassing really for the networks to do this,” one fan commented in a disappointed tone. “Why are they broadcasting remotely?” another fan also couldn’t understand the decision-making process that went behind TNT opting for remote coverage.

TNT has recently faced a lot of criticism for how it has been covering the NHL. With the 2025 playoffs in full motion, the network’s panel recently updated their favorite picks to win this year’s Stanley Cup, which also irked the fans, who claimed that this was nothing more than highlighting how the “experts” really have very little knowledge about the sport’s and the teams’ current situations. The remote broadcasting setup only added to the public outrage. But some people still believe TNT has a lot of experienced crew members who can help to turn things for the better. One fan attempted to reach out to Paul Bissonnett, another TNT anchor, with the urge: “@BizNasty2point0 can you fix the TNT mix.” 

“My god you literally can barely hear the crowd on TNT,” another reiterated why the NHL-TNT collab isn’t to die for. “TNT’s broadcast is usually trash,” one more fan sought to hammer the final nail into TNT’s coffin. With all these fuming comments, it suffices to say that fans would love a change in the way TNT handles its business. How would you like to see things going forward? Tell us your suggestion to make the NHL great again in the comments!