Versus will open the North American portion of its NHL broadcast schedule with a double-header Thursday. At 7 p.m., the Stanley Cup-champion Detroit Red Wings host the Toronto Maple Leafs. That will be followed at 10 p.m. by the Boston Bruins at the Colorado Avalanche.

This year, Versus will have a new puck-tracking system that will, as the network describes it, “digitally track the puck and allow viewers to follow the play with greater ease when analysts are discussing puck movement and its importance to specific highlights.”
Puck-tracking will only be used during the network's “Hockey Central” studio, show and during intermissions to emphasize highlights and will not be used during live game play.

The virtual telestrator utilized in this year's NHL telecasts, first introduced in the network's college football coverage and Tour de France telecasts, allows analysts to highlight and break down plays in a more vibrant and visually engaging way.