From the truck to the ice: ESPN’s NHL production team gears up for Opening Night

When the puck drops on ESPN’s 2025-26 NHL season Tuesday night, fans will see the fast pace, emotion and unpredictability that make hockey so special. But behind every camera angle, replay and rinkside moment is a dedicated team working in sync — led by Coordinating Producer David Gibson, who is gearing up for his first full season with NHL on ESPN.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and to be here at this point in my career — with these people who have meant so much not only to hockey, but to sports in general — it’s humbling,” Gibson said. “I look forward to this journey. I look forward to the season.”

Gibson joined the NHL on ESPN crew during last year’s postseason and was immediately struck by the team’s chemistry. From producers and editors to camera operators and talent, every piece of the operation comes together to capture hockey’s intensity and emotion in real time.

“The best thing about sports is they’re unscripted,” Gibson said. “You can’t go back and fix it tomorrow. I love that rush — that controlled chaos in the truck when everyone’s hair is on fire and you’re just going full steam ahead. But that chaos is where communication thrives. Like the players on the ice, we work as a team, and that’s when we’re at our best.”

For ESPN’s NHL production crew, Opening Night is more than a broadcast — it’s the result of months of planning, collaboration and creativity. The team continues to explore new production elements and storytelling techniques that bring fans closer to the game, from rinkside sound to immersive camera angles and dynamic graphics.

Success, Gibson said, isn’t just measured by viewership or ratings, but by how the team responds in the moment. “I measure success by how we cover those moments nobody knew were going to happen — and we’re all over it,” he said. “When we can bring fans into that feeling, into that moment, that’s what makes this team so special.”

As the NHL season begins, the crew’s shared goal remains the same: Capture the heart of the game and deliver it to fans everywhere.

“The season always starts with excitement and possibility,” Gibson said. “Our job — as a team — is to take that energy and make it come alive for viewers at home.”