NEW YORK - Premium TV network EPIX® and the NHL®, partnering for a third season, today announced that EPIX Presents Road To the NHL Outdoor Classics will make its U.S. Television Premiere on Friday, Dec. 16 at 9 pm CT on EPIX with four weekly episodes.
Road To the NHL Outdoor Classics premieres Dec. 16
Fans get exclusive access to Blues preparations for 2017 Winter Classic
This season, the series tells the stories of athletes and coaches from four teams and their journey to two games played on outdoor rinks. In commemoration of the League's Centennial Celebration, the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs will compete in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic™ on New Year's Day in Toronto, Canada. The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues meet in the 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® on January 2, in St. Louis. In addition to its airing on EPIX, U.S. hockey fans will be able to stream each episode of EPIX Presents Road To the NHL Outdoor Classics™ as a simulcast on EPIX.com, NHL.com and the websites for the four teams participating in the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic™ and the 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®.
Produced by 53-time Emmy® award winner Ross Greenburg, narrated by Bill Camp (Jason Bourne, Birdman, 12 Years A Slave) and presented in partnership with NHL Original Productions, EPIX Presents Road To the NHL Outdoor Classics will provide viewers with a sports tech-driven, intimate look at these athletes in their professional and personal settings, capturing all the action, drama, heartaches and triumphs as they unfold.
"The Road To series is extremely popular with our viewers and NHL fans," said Mark S. Greenberg, EPIX President and CEO. "I'm excited to have Ross Greenburg back and using his immense talents to give audiences a rare and personal look at how the athletes and coaches prepare for these special games - on and off the ice - while balancing the demands of home and life on the road."
"Just as the NHL Winter Classic has become a New Year's tradition and annual high point of our season, the Road To series has become appointment viewing for sports fans each December," said Steve Mayer, NHL Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer. "This year, the series takes it to another level, chronicling four teams instead of two as they prepare for and compete in both the NHL Winter Classic and the NHL Centennial Classic. We are looking forward to another exciting edition of the series with producer Ross Greenburg and his team, our partner EPIX and, most important, our clubs and the best athletes in all of pro sports, who provide amazing access."
The Red Wings, Maple Leafs and Blackhawks are all "Original Six" teams - having played in the NHL in the years prior to the league's expansion (1942-1966). The St. Louis Blues joined the NHL in 1967 and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season.
The Red Wings prepare for the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic™ as veterans of the outdoor game, having played in the first-ever official outdoor game in Marquette, Mich. in 1954; the 2009 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® at Wrigley Field in Chicago (a win over the Blackhawks); the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® in Ann Arbor, Mich. (a loss to the Maple Leafs); and a 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™ win over the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field in Denver. The Maple Leafs are making their second-ever outdoor game appearance following their win in Michigan in 2014.
The Blackhawks will play in their third NHL Winter Classic® on January 2, 2017 (after their 2009 game at Wrigley Field and 2015 matchup with the Washington Capitals at Nationals Stadium in Washington, D.C.). In addition, the Blackhawks faced the Pittsburgh Penguins outdoors in the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™. The Blues will play in their first-ever game outdoors.
EPIX PRESENTS ROAD TO THE NHL OUTDOOR CLASSICS
Premiere - Friday, Dec. 16 at 9 pm CT
Episode 2 - Friday, Dec. 23 at 9 pm CT (re-air on Dec. 24 at 9 pm CT)
Episode 3 - Friday, Dec. 30 at 9 pm CT
Episode 4 - Friday, January 6 at 9 pm CT
Sports fans can stream Episode No. 1 as a simulcast on the following digital platforms:
Online at NHL.com and at EPIX.com (http://www.epix.com/nhl)
Via team sites - ChicagoBlackhawks.com, DetroitRedWings.com, StLouisBlues.com, TorontoMapleLeafs.com
Via the official EPIX App on Android, iOS, XBOX 360, PS3, PS4, Roku and Windows 8
In addition, the premiere episode will be available on demand at NHL.com.
Join the conversation about #NHLOutdoors, #WinterClassic and #CentennialClassic on Twitter at @EpixHD and @NHL.
EPIX Presents Road To the NHL Outdoor Classics is an EPIX Original series and presented in partnership with NHL Original Productions. Ross Greenburg is the executive producer; Steve Stern is the coordinating producer; Mike Greenburg, Peter Rogaris, Jonathan Fierro, and Eric Paulen are the producers; Aaron Cohen is the writer; Steve Lamme is the directory of photography; John Sands and Wayne Sharpe are the composers. Bill Camp is the narrator. Mark Greenberg, Jocelyn Diaz and Ross Bernard are the executive producers for EPIX, Jill Burkhart and Valerie Bishop Pearson are the producers for EPIX.
