More fodder for hatred of the East

Western Canadian hockey fans, commence grumbling. There’s really nothing all that surprising about the TSN broadcast schedule released Wednesday but for those who enjoy complaining about Eastern bias and taking potshots at the so-called Centre of the Universe, you’ve been well served.

The Flames, Oilers and Canucks will all make 11 appearances on either TSN or TSN2 — one pre-season tilt plus 10 regular-season matchups. The Ottawa Senators also get the exact same exposure.

The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, will be on the air 19 times — two tune-ups and 17 regular-season games. Perhaps TSN will be able to coax Brian Burke out of his shell to make an appearance during at least one of those broadcasts.

The Canadiens, the country’s other love-’em-or-hate-’em outfit, will be on the tube for one regular-season game and 16 regular matches.

If folks in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver really want to be crotchety, they’ll beef about the fact that the Penguins (13 games), Capitals (12) and Blackhawks (12) will all be on one of the TSN channels more often than the Canadian clubs situated west of Mississauga.

Over at the Corp, there’s lots more Buds and Habs — 24 Toronto games and 22 Montreal contests. The Canucks are next in CBC appearances at 15 games, followed by Edmonton and Ottawa with 12 apiece and Calgary last with 11.

Flames (all times Mountain)
Pre-season
Saturday, September 26 Vancouver @ Calgary 7pm TSN2
Regular season
Wednesday, November 4 Calgary @ Dallas 6:30pm TSN
Thursday, November 19 Chicago @ Calgary 7:30pm TSN
Wednesday, November 25 Phoenix @ Calgary 7:30pm TSN
Thursday, December 17 Los Angeles @ Calgary 7:30pm TSN
Wednesday, December 23 St. Louis @ Calgary 7:30pm TSN
Wednesday, January 13 Pittsburgh @ Calgary 7:30pm TSN
Thursday, January 21 Chicago @ Calgary 7:30pm TSN
Monday, March 15 Detroit @ Calgary 7:30pm TSN
Wednesday, March 17 Calgary @ Colorado 7pm TSN
Tuesday, April 6 San Jose @ Calgary 7:30pm TSN

Oilers (all times Mountain)
Pre-season
Thursday, September 24 Edmonton @ Tampa Bay 6:30pm TSN
Regular season
Wednesday, October 14 Edmonton @ Chicago 6:30pm TSN
Thursday, October 29 Detroit @ Edmonton 7:30pm TSN
Wednesday, November 11 Edmonton @ Buffalo 5pm TSN
Wednesday, November 18 Colorado @ Edmonton 7pm TSN
Thursday, January 14 Pittsburgh @ Edmonton 7:30pm TSN
Tuesday, January 26 Chicago @ Edmonton 7:30pm TSN
Wednesday, February 3 Philadelphia @ Edmonton 7:30pm TSN
Wednesday, February 10 Edmonton @ Anaheim 8pm TSN
Friday, March 19 Detroit @ Edmonton 7:30pm TSN
Monday, April 5 Minnesota @ Edmonton 7:30pm TSN

Canucks (all times Pacific)
Pre-season
Saturday, September 26 Vancouver @ Calgary 6pm TSN2
Regular season
Wednesday, October 7 Montreal @ Vancouver 7pm TSN
Wednesday, October 21 Vancouver @ Chicago 5:30pm TSN
Tuesday, November 3 NY Rangers @ Vancouver 7pm TSN
Wednesday, December 2 Vancouver @ New Jersey 4pm TSN
Wednesday, December 16 Anaheim @ Vancouver 7pm TSN
Friday, December 18 Washington @ Vancouver 7pm TSN
Wednesday, March 3 Vancouver @ Detroit 4:30pm TSN
Wednesday, March 10 Vancouver @ Phoenix 7pm TSN
Thursday, March 18 San Jose @ Vancouver 7pm TSN
Wednesday, March 24 Anaheim @ Vancouver 7pm TSN

Thursday, October 1 Vancouver at Calgary
Saturday, October 3 Calgary at Edmonton
Saturday, October 10 Montreal at Edmonton
Saturday, October 24 Toronto at Vancouver; Edmonton at Calgary
Saturday, October 31 Detroit at Calgary
Saturday, November 7 New York Rangers at Calgary
Saturday, November 14 Calgary at Toronto; Vancouver at Colorado
Saturday, November 21 Chicago at Edmonton
Saturday, November 28 Edmonton at Vancouver
Saturday, December 5 Calgary at San Jose
Saturday, December 12 Minnesota at Vancouver
Saturday, December 19 Nashville at Calgary; Washington at Edmonton
Saturday, December 26 Edmonton at Vancouver
Saturday, January 2 Toronto at Calgary; Edmonton at San Jose
Saturday, January 9 Calgary at Vancouver
Sunday, January 16 Pittsburgh at Vancouver
Saturday, January 23 Chicago at Vancouver
Saturday, January 30 Vancouver at Toronto; Edmonton at Calgary
Saturday, February 6 Edmonton at Colorado
Saturday, February 13 Anaheim at Calgary
Saturday, March 13 Edmonton at Toronto; Ottawa at Vancouver
Saturday, March 20 Detroit at Vancouver
Saturday, March 27 Vancouver at San Jose
Saturday, April 3 Edmonton at Phoenix
Saturday, April 10 Calgary at Vancouver