Alberta and Manitoba have adopted permanent daylight saving time, leading to unusual game schedules for several NHL teams. This shift has resulted in later start times for the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, impacting both athlete preparation and fan attendance.
Eight 9 p.m. puck drops for the Calgary Flames
The decision by Alberta to cease the traditional practice of shifting clocks in March and November has created a logistical headache for the Calgary Flames. According to the report, the team is facing eight specific games that start at 9 p.m., with two of those matchups hosted at the Saddledome. While Robert Hayes, the president and CEO of the Calgary Flames , suggests that Saturday night starts could create a more vibrant, party-like energy for the crowd, the late hour presents a challenge for players' personal lives.
For Calgary Flames player Ryan Strome, the 9 p.m. start time is a barrier for his family. As a father of three young children, Strome noted that the late hour makes it impossible for his children to attend those specific games. While the shift allows him more time for evening chores like baths before heading to the arena,it effectively removes his family from the stands, leaving him with extra tickets that cannot be used by his immediate household.
To balance these late nights, the Calgary Flames schedule also includes eight games starting at 2:30 p.m. or earlier. Robert Hayes believes these afternoon slots will be a positive development for families who cannot accommodate the nocturnal shift, though the overall operational rhythm of the team remains disrupted by the provincial time change.
Caffeine and nap routines for Mikael Backlund and Trent Frederic
The biological toll of late-night athletics is forcing NHL players to treat their sleep and energy levels with scientific precision. Mikael Backlund, captain of the Calgary Flames, indicated that professional athletes must adapt their preparation to meet these new demands, specifically mentioning that caffeine will likely be used to keep the team energized for late-night puck drops.
Similarly, Trent Frederic of the Edmonton Oilers has emphasized the need for meticulous planning regarding sleep and nap routines. For Frederic, the goal is to ensure his body is peaked for performance when the game finally begins late in the evening.. This level of physical management is essential for maintaining peak athletic output when the body's natural circadian rhythm is at odds with the game clock.
The Edmonton Oilers are facing seven games scheduled for 9 p.m., including matchups against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks. While players like Jake Walman find the late starts manageable for themselves, they noted that family members in Eastern time zones, such as Toronto, struggle to stay awake to watch the games, further isolating the athletes from their support systems.
The Manitoba shift and the Winnipeg Jets' 10 p.m. road games
The trend of abandoning clock shifts is not limited to Alberta; Manitoba has also declared its intention to remain on permanent daylight time. As the report says, this led the NHL to adjust a dozen home games for the Winnipeg Jets. While the league has capped home game starts at 7:30 p.m. local time to protect the home crowd, the road schedule remains volatile.
Winnipeg Jets fans may face extreme viewing hours, including a 10 p.m. game against the Vancouver Canucks in February. This regional shift reflects a broader movement in Western Canada to align provincial time with daylight patterns, but it creates a fragmented temporal landscape for the NHL.. The Vancouver Canucks are also feeling the effects, with road game starts swinging wildly from as early as noon to as late as 8 p.m.
Brendan Gallagher of the Vancouver Canucks noted that while the unpredictability of these start times requires "tinkering" with personal routines, the professional standard remains the priority. The disparity in start times across the Western provinces highlights the difficulty of coordinating a professional league across jurisdictions with diverging time policies.
Who determines the broadcast rights for 9 p.m. starts?
A critical point of tension in this scheduling crisis is the role of external influencers. Robert Hayes of the Calgary Flames pointed out that the 9 p.m. starts are not just a result of provincial law, but are heavily influenced by broadcast rightsholders who prioritize television audiences over local convenience. However, the source does not specify which networks are driving these specific late-night slots or how the NHL intends to negotiate these windows in future seasons.
It remains unclear whether the NHL will seek a standardized "Western Time" agreement to prevent the erratic swings seen by the Vancouver Canucks, or if the league will continue to defer to the whims of broadcasters. Furthermore, the report only provides the perspective of the teams and players; it remains to be seen if fan attendance numbers at the Saddledome or in Edmonton will actually drop due to these late-night starts.
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