The NHL on FOX: Complete Disaster or Innovation Master?

FOX joined the cast of networks that aired NHL games around 1994 and lasted until 1999, when its contract expired, losing its rights to ABC. The era of NHL games on FOX included regular season games, several playoff games, and continuous coverage of the All Star Game and Stanley Cup Finals. To many hockey purists, the NHL on FOX was a complete disaster and turned fans away from the game with its new ways of representing the game. For me, i saw the network as an innovator for the game. With all the new technology that FOX used in its broadcasts, it opened up new doors to the way the sport was aired. The greatest achievement that FOX did in this department has to be its biggest flaw as well, the FoxTrax. This new invention placed a glowing ring around the puck in order for viewers to easily see where the puck goes. Many newcomers, including myself, enjoyed this and made it easier to get into the game. The FoxTrax was first used during the 1996 All Star Game and was last used in 1998 during the Stanley Cup Finals. This new innovation brought many fans to the sport of hockey, although it was only around for 4 years. Even though the NHL on FOX is gone, there are still remains of its telecasts, with all of the Fox Sports Networks (FSN) stations showing regional games today. Although it is not like the NHL on FOX entirely, it still shares part of its history today.