ESPN Begins New NHL Studio Show, The Point, on Oct. 7

Cementing The Walt Disney Company’s collection of television networks and direct-to-consumer streaming platforms as the new destination for all things hockey, The Point joins ESPN2’s weekly Thursday afternoon lineup from 3-4 p.m. ET.

All episodes of The Point will be simulcast live on ESPN+ and will be available for on-demand replay.

The Point premieres October 7 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2 live from Studio F in Bristol, CT. Then, as part of ESPN’s NHL Opening Week programming, the show moves to daily shows on ESPN from October 12-15. Preceding the 2021 NHL FaceOff doubleheader on October 12, The Point travels to ESPN’s Las Vegas studio for the 3 p.m. ET show, and Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay before the 7 p.m. ET show leading into game coverage. For the remainder of the week, The Point heads back to Bristol for daily shows at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, before moving to its weekly home at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

The primary host of NHL 2Night, ESPN2’s program dedicated to hockey highlights and news from 1998-2004, John Buccigross returns to the host seat as The Point debuts. The current co-host of SportsCenter weeknights at 11 p.m. ET, Buccigross will also serve as a play-by-play commentator for NHL game coverage this season as well as Frozen Four coverage.

The Point will surround ESPN’s live coverage of NHL games with exclusive access and can’t-miss content, including look aheads at key matchups, trends within the NHL and hockey lifestyle coverage. Produced by the creative minds behind E:60, The Point will tell impactful stories from players, teams and personalities around the NHL. Buccigross will ready viewers for upcoming games alongside ESPN’s unmatched on-air team, with news, analysis and spirited discussions. The Point will also endeavor to dig deeper—on issues in the sport, on the game’s most intriguing and compelling personalities, on the world of hockey in general — hockey culture, hockey lifestyle — with access anywhere a puck is dropped.

“Our goal is to make The Point essential viewing for hockey fans”, says executive producer Andy Tennant. “Our approach is informed by our experience as sports storytellers. The features will go deep – telling the story of the NHL as only our team can. And in John Buccigross, we have the perfect host. He has credibility with every hockey fan—and his knowledge and passion for the sport, along with his skills in this role, give us the foundation for everything we’re doing.”

Buccigross added, “If NHL 2Night had a child it would be The Point. Like any good parent, our goal is to make this hockey kid even better than its parents. Stoked to get going!”

The Point joins ESPN+’s long-running NHL post-game show, In the Crease, in complementing NHL game coverage across the networks and streaming properties.