Gary Bettman Announces New League-Wide Broadcast Change That Starts With The Blackhawks

«Building off the tremendous success of our groundbreaking NHL in ASL broadcast for the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, we are proud to continue to demonstrate the League's commitment to providing a fully immersive and accessible viewing experience that specifically meets the needs of the Deaf community for our Legacy events as well, starting for the first time with this year's NHL Winter Classic.

«This is an NHL-led production for the Deaf by the Deaf, and we encourage all fans watching at home to tune in to experience this special telecast.» - Steve Mayer, President, NHL Content and Events.

NHL in ASL, an alternate telecast dedicated completely to the Deaf community using American Sign Language, will be returning for the Discover NHL Winter Classic on December 31 between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues - marking the first time the Winter Classic will be broadcast in ASL.

The telecast will feature Deaf commentators providing real-time coverage of play-by-play and color commentary entirely in ASL.

Available to stream on MAX in the U.S. and Sportsnet+ in Canada.

The broadcast was designed to amplify the experience for Deaf viewers through a variety of innovative visual aids. These include a large, metered, real-time bar to demonstrate crowd noise levels, particularly during significant events like goals and penalties. This feature allows Deaf viewers to feel the energy and excitement of the crowd, adding an immersive layer to the viewing experience. Additionally, custom visual emotes depicted goals, penalties, the intensity of hits, and whether the puck hits the post or crossbar, providing clear and immediate visual cues.