CBC to air 22 Winnipeg Jets games during marquee 'Hockey Night in Canada'

TORONTO - The reborn Winnipeg Jets have bolstered the broadcast schedule for CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada."

The public broadcaster released its television schedule Thursday, which includes 22 Jets games.

That's the third most broadcasted games of one team. Only the ratings powerhouse Montreal Canadiens (28) and Toronto Maple Leafs (26) appear more times on CBC during the upcoming season.

Rounding out the Canadian teams on CBC are the Ottawa Senators (20), Stanley Cup finalists the Vancouver Canucks (17), the Edmonton Oilers (13) and Calgary Flames (12).

Winnipeg will make its pre-season television debut on Sept. 26 when the Jets take on the Senators for the Kraft Hockeyville event in Conception Bay South, N.L.

Their regular-season CBC debut will be Oct. 9 at home against the Canadiens.

TSN will carry a total of 77 regular-season games, with 73 of those featuring at least one Canadian team, while TSN2's regular season schedule features an additional 74 games.

In the U.S., NBC Sports and VERSUS, which will be renamed NBC Sports Network effective Jan. 2, begin the first season of the 10-year agreement with the NHL announced in April.

The two networks are scheduling 100 regular-season games, with NBC broadcasting its first game Nov. 25, an Original Six match-up featuring the Bruins against the Detroit Red Wings in Boston.

That's the earliest an NHL game has appeared on NBC in the past seven seasons.