Helping NHL Network With NHL Lockout Programming

You guys, we have about six days. After September 15, 2012, the inevitable begins and we wait for the third NHL lockout to happen during Gary Bettman's tenure as NHL commissioner to end. Some say Thanksgiving (ahem, American Thanksgiving), some say December, some say New Year's Day with the Winter Classic. Frankly, I'm beginning to care less and less as the days go by, the NFL gets up and running, and the MLB playoffs draw closer and closer.

I know, however, that not all of you are like me, and you still need your hockey fix between now and the lockout's end. Well, it'll be rough goings until about December. Sure, you can find the occasional college game (NBC Sports Network and CBS Sports Network are the easiest places to find them, though I'm not sure when each network's coverage will launch) but until we hit the World Juniors on NHL Network in December, seeing live hockey may be a bit of trouble.

So, NHL Network itself will be in a bit of trouble. For now, the network has been airing what it calls "HD Classics" most of the day, along with reruns of the most recent playoffs. That will get old soon, however, and they'll need to find something to justify the subscription fees until the lockout is over. So here's a suggestion list of games from the post-lockout II to pre-lockout III era (the name needs work) that the network could put on the air.

Now, some of these have already seen the light of day, and I'm keeping regular season and all-star games out of this. Also, because I'm still not sure if the NHL Network can legally show Olympic action, the 2006 and 2010 Games are out. Though I would love to see the 2004 World Cup of Hockey again (hey, why didn't we at least get that as a goodbye this time around?), these are stuck to really good Stanley Cup Playoff games. Pretty much every overtime game from the past seven Stanley Cup Playoffs makes it in. By the way, if anyone at the NHL Network reads this, an "NHL Overtimes" series would be awesome.

Also, I know the number of games will make you scoff at the notion of a "Classic"... but please, they showed the 2004 NHL All-Star Game under that series last night. We can stretch it a bit. Please suggest your own in the comments. Enjoy.

2006

Conference Quarterfinals

Montreal vs. Carolina, Game 2
Carolina vs. Montreal, Game 3
Carolina vs. Montreal, Game 6
NY Rangers vs. New Jersey, Game 2
Philadelphia vs. Buffalo, Game 1
Buffalo vs. Philadelphia, Game 4
Edmonton vs. Detroit, Game 1
Detroit vs. Edmonton, Game 3
Detroit vs. Edmonton, Game 6
Colorado vs. Dallas, Game 2
Colorado vs. Dallas, Game 5
Anaheim vs. Calgary, Game 1
Calgary vs. Anaheim, Game 4
Nashville vs. San Jose, Game 4

Conference Semifinals

Buffalo vs. Ottawa, Game 1
Ottawa vs. Buffalo, Game 3
Buffalo vs. Ottawa, Game 5
New Jersey vs. Carolina, Game 2
San Jose vs. Edmonton, Game 3
San Jose vs. Edmonton, Game 6
Anaheim vs. Colorado, Game 3

Conference Finals

Carolina vs. Buffalo, Game 3
Buffalo vs. Carolina, Game 5
Carolina vs. Buffalo, Game 6
Buffalo vs. Carolina, Game 7
Anaheim vs. Edmonton, Game 3
Edmonton vs. Anaheim, Game 5

Stanley Cup Final

Edmonton vs. Carolina, Game 1
Carolina vs. Edmonton, Game 3
Edmonton vs. Carolina, Game 5
Edmonton vs. Carolina, Game 7

2007

Conference Quarterfinals

New Jersey vs. Tampa Bay, Game 4
NY Rangers vs. Atlanta, Game 1
Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa, Game 2
Detroit vs. Calgary, Game 6
Minnesota vs. Anaheim, Game 2
Dallas vs. Vancouver, Game 1
Vancouver vs. Dallas, Game 3
Dallas vs. Vancouver, Game 5
Dallas vs. Vancouver, Game 7
San Jose vs. Nashville, Game 1

Conference Semifinals

Buffalo vs. NY Rangers, Game 3
NY Rangers vs. Buffalo, Game 5
Buffalo vs. NY Rangers, Game 6
Ottawa vs. New Jersey, Game 2
Ottawa vs. New Jersey, Game 5
Detroit vs. San Jose, Game 4
Detroit vs. San Jose, Game 6
Vancouver vs. Anaheim, Game 2
Anaheim vs. Vancouver, Game 4
Vancouver vs. Anaheim, Game 5

Conference Finals

Ottawa vs. Buffalo, Game 2
Buffalo vs. Ottawa, Game 4
Ottawa vs. Buffalo, Game 5
Anaheim vs. Detroit, Game 2
Anaheim vs. Detroit, Game 5
Detroit vs. Anaheim, Game 6

Stanley Cup Final

Ottawa vs. Anaheim, Game 2
Anaheim vs. Ottawa, Game 3
Ottawa vs. Anaheim, Game 5

2008

Conference Quarterfinals

Boston vs. Montreal, Game 2
Montreal vs. Boston, Game 3
Montreal vs. Boston, Game 6
Washington vs. Philadelphia, Game 4
Philadelphia vs. Washington, Game 7
New Jersey vs. NY Rangers, Game 3
NY Rangers vs. New Jersey, Game 5
Nashville vs. Detroit, Game 5
San Jose vs. Calgary, Game 3
Calgary vs. San Jose, Game 7
Colorado vs. Minnesota, Game 1
Colorado vs. Minnesota, Game 2
Minnesota vs. Colorado, Game 3

Conference Semifinals

Philadelphia vs. Montreal, Game 1
Philadelphia vs. Montreal, Game 5
NY Rangers vs. Pittsburgh, Game 1
NY Rangers vs. Pittsburgh, Game 5
Detroit vs. Colorado, Game 3
Dallas vs. San Jose, Game 1
San Jose vs. Dallas, Game 3
Dallas vs. San Jose, Game 5
San Jose vs. Dallas, Game 6

Conference Finals

Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, Game 2
Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, Game 5
Dallas vs. Detroit, Game 5
Detroit vs. Dallas, Game 6

Stanley Cup Final

Detroit vs. Pittsburgh, Game 3
Detroit vs. Pittsburgh, Game 4
Pittsburgh vs. Detroit, Game 5
Detroit vs. Pittsburgh, Game 6

2009

Conference Quarterfinals

Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 6
NY Rangers vs. Washington, Game 7
Carolina vs. New Jersey, Game 2
New Jersey vs. Carolina, Game 3
New Jersey vs. Carolina, Game 4
Carolina vs. New Jersey, Game 7
Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Game 2
Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Game 6
San Jose vs. Anaheim, Game 5
Detroit vs. Columbus, Game 4
Vancouver vs. St. Louis, Game 4
Calgary vs. Chicago, Game 1
Calgary vs. Chicago, Game 2

Conference Semifinals

Boston vs. Carolina, Game 3
Boston vs. Carolina, Game 6
Carolina vs. Boston, Game 7
Pittsburgh vs. Washington, Game 2
Washington vs. Pittsburgh, Game 3
Pittsburgh vs. Washington, Game 5
Washington vs. Pittsburgh, Game 6
Anaheim vs. Detroit, Game 2
Detroit vs. Anaheim, Game 6
Anaheim vs. Detroit, Game 7
Chicago vs. Vancouver, Game 1
Chicago vs. Vancouver, Game 2
Vancouver vs. Chicago, Game 4
Vancouver vs. Chicago, Game 6

Conference Finals

Carolina vs. Pittsburgh, Game 2
Pittsburgh vs. Carolina, Game 4
Chicago vs. Detroit, Game 2
Detroit vs. Chicago, Game 3
Chicago vs. Detroit, Game 5

Stanley Cup Final

Pittsburgh vs. Detroit, Game 2
Detroit vs. Pittsburgh, Game 4
Detroit vs. Pittsburgh, Game 6
Pittsburgh vs. Detroit, Game 7

2010

Conference Quarterfinals

Montreal vs. Washington, Game 1
Montreal vs. Washington, Game 2
Montreal vs. Washington, Game 7
New Jersey vs. Philadelphia, Game 3
Buffalo vs. Boston, Game 4
Buffalo vs. Boston, Game 6
Ottawa vs. Pittsburgh, Game 1
Ottawa vs. Pittsburgh, Game 5
Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa, Game 6
Colorado vs. San Jose, Game 2
San Jose vs. Colorado, Game 3
San Jose vs. Colorado, Game 4
Nashville vs. Chicago, Game 5
Chicago vs. Nashville, Game 6
Los Angeles vs. Vancouver, Game 1
Los Angeles vs. Vancouver, Game 2
Detroit vs. Phoenix, Game 2

Conference Semifinals

Pittsburgh vs. Montreal, Game 4
Pittsburgh vs. Montreal, Game 6
Montreal vs. Pittsburgh, Game 7
Philadelphia vs. Boston, Game 1
Boston vs. Philadelphia, Game 4
Boston vs. Philadelphia, Game 6
Philadelphia vs. Boston, Game 7
San Jose vs. Detroit, Game 3
Detroit vs. San Jose, Game 5
Chicago vs. Vancouver, Game 4

Conference Finals

Montreal vs. Philadelphia, Game 5
Chicago vs. San Jose, Game 1
San Jose vs. Chicago, Game 3
San Jose vs. Chicago, Game 4

Stanley Cup Final

Philadelphia vs. Chicago, Game 1
Philadelphia vs. Chicago, Game 2
Chicago vs. Philadelphia, Game 3
Chicago vs. Philadelphia, Game 6

2011

Conference Quarterfinals

NY Rangers vs. Washington, Game 1
Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 4
Buffalo vs. Philadelphia, Game 2
Buffalo vs. Philadelphia, Game 5
Philadelphia vs. Buffalo, Game 6
Boston vs. Montreal, Game 4
Montreal vs. Boston, Game 5
Boston vs. Montreal, Game 6
Montreal vs. Boston, Game 7
Pittsburgh vs. Tampa Bay, Game 4
Tampa Bay vs. Pittsburgh, Game 7
Chicago vs. Vancouver, Game 2
Vancouver vs. Chicago, Game 6
Chicago vs. Vancouver, Game 7
Los Angeles vs. San Jose, Game 1
San Jose vs. Los Angeles, Game 3
San Jose vs. Los Angeles, Game 6
Nashville vs. Anaheim, Game 5
Anaheim vs. Nashville, Game 6

Conference Semifinals

Tampa Bay vs. Washington, Game 2
Washington vs. Tampa Bay, Game 4
Philadelphia vs. Boston, Game 2
Nashville vs. Vancouver, Game 2
Vancouver vs. Nashville, Game 3
Vancouver vs. Nashville, Game 6
Detroit vs. San Jose, Game 1
San Jose vs. Detroit, Game 3
San Jose vs. Detroit, Game 4
Detroit vs. San Jose, Game 7

Conference Finals

Tampa Bay vs. Boston, Game 2
Boston vs. Tampa Bay, Game 4
Boston vs. Tampa Bay, Game 6
Tampa Bay vs. Boston, Game 7
San Jose vs. Vancouver, Game 1
San Jose vs. Vancouver, Game 5

Stanley Cup Final

Boston vs. Vancouver, Game 1
Boston vs. Vancouver, Game 2
Boston vs. Vancouver, Game 5
Vancouver vs. Boston, Game 6
Boston vs. Vancouver, Game 7

2012

Ottawa vs. NY Rangers, Game 2
NY Rangers vs. Ottawa, Game 4
NY Rangers vs. Ottawa, Game 6
Ottawa vs. NY Rangers, Game 7
Washington vs. Boston, Game 1
Washington vs. Boston, Game 2
Boston vs. Washington, Game 6
Washington vs. Boston, Game 7
Florida vs. New Jersey, Game 3
Florida vs. New Jersey, Game 6
New Jersey vs. Florida, Game 7
Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, Game 1
Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Game 3
Vancouver vs. Los Angeles, Game 3
Los Angeles vs. Vancouver, Game 5
San Jose vs. St. Louis, Game 1
San Jose vs. St. Louis, Game 5
Chicago vs. Phoenix, Game 1
Chicago vs. Phoenix, Game 2
Phoenix vs. Chicago, Game 3
Phoenix vs. Chicago, Game 4
Chicago vs. Phoenix, Game 5
Detroit vs. Nashville, Game 1

Conference Semifinals

NY Rangers vs. Washington, Game 3
Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 5
NY Rangers vs. Washington, Game 6
Washington vs. NY Rangers, Game 7
New Jersey vs. Philadelphia, Game 1
Philadelphia vs. New Jersey, Game 3
St. Louis vs. Los Angeles, Game 4
Nashville vs. Phoenix, Game 1
Phoenix vs. Nashville, Game 4
Nashville vs. Phoenix, Game 5

Conference Finals

NY Rangers vs. New Jersey, Game 3
New Jersey vs. NY Rangers, Game 5
NY Rangers vs. New Jersey, Game 6
Los Angeles vs. Phoenix, Game 1
Los Angeles vs. Phoenix, Game 5

Stanley Cup Final

Los Angeles vs. New Jersey, Game 1
Los Angeles vs. New Jersey, Game 2
Los Angeles vs. New Jersey, Game 5
New Jersey vs. Los Angeles, Game 6