Emrick, Olczyk lead the way for NBC, VERSUS expanded NHL 2011-2012 coverage

NEW YORK -- The critically acclaimed team of Mike "Doc" Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire ("Inside the Glass" analyst) will return to the NBC Sports Group as its featured broadcast team for the 2011-12 NHL season. Emrick, who won the Sports Emmy Award earlier this year in the play-by-play category, Olczyk and McGuire will again cover the "NHL Game of the Week" broadcasts on NBC and will add VERSUS' new exclusive Wednesday night telecast to their schedule.

Veteran NHL announcer Dave Strader (play-by-play) and former NHL player Brian Engblom ("Inside the Glass" analyst) also return and will primarily handle Tuesday and Sunday night telecasts as a team. Emrick, McGuire and Strader will call games exclusively for the NBC Sports Group this season.

In the studio, host Liam McHugh and analysts Mike Milbury and Keith Jones begin their second season together on VERSUS' pre- and post-game show, NHL Live. Also on VERSUS, the NHL Overtime team of host Bill Patrick and analyst Jeremy Roenick will often be joined by additional former NHL players or coaches. McHugh and Milbury will also work NBC's pre- and post-game coverage as well as its intermission segments.

"The key ingredient to the success of our broadcasts has been the people and we're thrilled that the best in the business are returning," said Sam Flood, executive producer for NBC Sports and VERSUS. "This talent schedule benefits hockey fans because it allows us to produce consistent broadcasts across all platforms, which is more important than ever as fans will see more national regular-season and playoff telecasts than ever before."

GAME COVERAGE

All GAMES ON NBC (Thanksgiving Friday, Winter Classic, Sunday "NHL Game of the Week")
Mike "Doc" Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (Inside the Glass analyst)

SUNDAYS ON VERSUS (Starting in January)
Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (Inside the Glass analyst)

MONDAYS ON VERSUS
Mike "Doc" Emrick (play-by-play) and Pierre McGuire (Inside the Glass analyst)

TUESDAYS ON VERSUS
Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (Inside the Glass analyst)

WEDNESDAYS ON VERSUS
Mike "Doc" Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (Inside the Glass analyst)

ADDITIONAL VERSUS COVERAGE:
VERSUS drops the puck on the season with a doubleheader on Thursday, Oct. 6, when the Stanley Cup-champion Boston Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m. ET followed by Pittsburgh at Vancouver at 10 p.m. Mike "Doc" Emrick (play-by-play), Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Pierre McGuire (Inside the Glass analyst) will call the Flyers/Bruins matchup, while Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (Inside the Glass analyst) will call the Penguins/Canucks game.

STUDIO SHOWS

NHL Live on VERSUS
Liam McHugh, Mike Milbury and Keith Jones

NHL Overtime on VERSUS
Bill Patrick and Jeremy Roenick (plus rotating personalities)

"NHL Game of the Week" Intermissions on NBC
Liam McHugh and Mike Milbury

2011-12 SCHEDULE: The NBC Sports Group’s 2011-12 NHL schedule is highlighted by 100 regular-season games across NBC and VERSUS, which will be re-branded the NBC Sports Network midway through the season on Jan. 2; expanded exclusive cable coverage, including Wednesday and Sunday nights, and live 30-minute pre- and post-game shows for every game on VERSUS; the return of Hockey Day in America on NBC and NHL All-Star Weekend on VERSUS; the introduction of a Thanksgiving Friday NBC broadcast; and national distribution of all Stanley Cup Playoff games.

VERSUS RE-BRAND: As part of a new strategy to bring all four tiers of its assets (broadcast network, two national cable networks, 11 regional sports networks and digital) into a consistent framework of branding, VERSUS will be re-named the NBC Sports Network on Jan. 2.