"TV rules everything" - NHL fans slam league for yet another controversial scheduling call featuring Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks

The latest uproar in the NHL revolves around a decision that has left many fans disgruntled, particularly those supporting the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks.

Mike Harrington, a prominent Sabres/MLB columnist, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his dissatisfaction, igniting a wave of reactions from the passionate hockey community.

Harrington's tweet shed light on the contentious scheduling choice made by the NHL, forcing the Sabres to comply with ABC's exclusive 1 p.m. window and accommodating Canadian television with a 4:08 p.m. start time.

"It stinks the NHL makes the #Sabres bow to ABC’s exclusive 1 pm window today and to Canadian television with this 4:08 start. It would have been much safer for everyone involved if it was the standard 1:08 Saturday matinee start. But TV rules everything," Harrington tweeted.

The decision to deviate from the traditional 1:08 pm Saturday matinee start drew swift and impassioned responses from NHL fans on X. One fan sarcastically remarked,

"Making it more dangerous for everyone in attendance and going head to head with an NFL playoff game makes a ton of sense for everyone in Buffalo."

Another fan expressed skepticism about the NHL's priorities, stating,

"The NHL has really never convinced me that they ever act for safety over money when they have the opportunity."

A particularly blunt remark came from a fan questioning the entertainment value of the Sabres, saying,

"Yeah because the Sabres truly are must-see TV these days..."

One fan, likely considering the impracticality of the schedule change, shared a personal perspective, stating,

"I would have been coming from out of town… so yeah… not happening."

As the league navigates these criticisms, it remains to be seen how future scheduling decisions will balance the needs of both the fans and the business aspects of professional hockey.

Former Vancouver Canucks' coach Boudreau reveals controversial proposal to move Quinn Hughes to center

Former Vancouver Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau revealed on the NHL Network panel that someone within the Vancouver Canucks' organization suggested converting star defenseman Quinn Hughes into a center during Boudreau's tenure.

Boudreau vehemently rejected the idea, arguing that Hughes' stellar play as a defenseman, which may earn him the Norris Trophy, warranted his retention.

The coach did not disclose the individual responsible for the proposal but stressed the importance of resisting the shift.