After ESPN dropped the NHL (following the 2004-05 lockout) the NHL was forced to work with the relatively unknown Outdoor Life Network, and hockey fans were largely left out in the cold.

But thanks to Scarsdale alum Ross Greenburg (class of ‘73) and the rest of the team at NBC Sports Network, coverage is finally improving once again, with the network airing nearly twice as many games as last year.

Ross Greenburg is probably best known for the work he did at HBO Sports, working as the division president for more than a decade and staying with HBO for more than thirty years. During that time, HBO Sports became widely recognized for its top quality sports programming, which was largely credited to Ross’s efforts there.

But Ross decided to move on last summer, ending his contract with HBO on good terms. In November he joined NBC Sports to produce a number of shows, including NHL 36, a documentary style show that follows players for 36 hours leading up to a big game.

Hockey fans must be happy to have innovative shows that go beyond just showing the game, after so much attention has been paid to nearly every other American sport in recent years.  Of course, it’s no surprise that Ross has created such a successful show, and we can expect plenty more in the future. After all, our former classmate has already won 51 Emmys, an achievement that speaks for itself.

You can read more about NHL 36 and the rest of NBC’s plans for the league here.