NHL takes direct control of broadcasts for four teams in 2026-27

The league is making a historic move by launching its own local broadcast operation, taking the reins for four franchises starting next season in what amounts to a seismic shift in how hockey reaches living rooms. This isn't the NHL dabbling in media - it's the league deciding that if traditional partners won't do it right, they'll do it themselves. The four teams involved are essentially guinea pigs for an experiment that could reshape the entire broadcast landscape if it gains traction.