The NHL on ESPN’s Frozen Frenzy is back for its third year — a hockey holiday where all 32 teams hit the ice in one action-packed night. With 16 games across ESPN platforms and a tripleheader on ESPN, hosts John Buccigross and Kevin Weekes will guide fans through every highlight, hit, and overtime finish in real time.
Tuesday will mark only the sixth time that all 32 NHL teams have played on the same day. ESPN’s first Frozen Frenzy on Oct. 24, 2023, and last year on Oct. 22, 2024, cement ESPN as a part of that history.
Asking Bucci: What do you look forward to?
Linda Shulz, ESPN Vice President, Production, said Buccigross’s energy is a natural fit for the event: “John’s enthusiasm and passion for hockey has led to him being the perfect match for our Frenzy coverage. The night is about the frenetic speed of the sport. Bucci brings that energy when he hosts the night.”
“Going back to the first Frozen Frenzy, I was on The Pat McAfee Show and he asked, ‘How do you prepare for Frozen Frenzy?'” said Buccigross. “I said, Pat, you watch every game every night for 15 years — because that’s basically what I’ve done. I’ve always had either the Center Ice package or a subscription to ESPN+, and that’s really the only way you can prepare. Goals come at you fast and furious. You’ve got to know all the numbers, all the guys, where they went to college, where they played junior. It’s almost like a lifetime of knowledge. You can’t cram like I did in college — you’ve got to be ready.”
Throughout the night, Buccigross and Weekes will whip around the league with live look-ins and and updates. ESPN’s App will serve as a central hub for fans — with multiview technology allowing them to customize how they watch the marathon night.
Behind the scenes, ESPN’s production and product teams continue to refine Frozen Frenzy’s presentation, adding real-time stats and enhanced graphics to help fans follow all 32 teams.
“Frozen Frenzy is the perfect showcase for what the ESPN App was built to do: give fans multiple ways to experience the most action-packed night in hockey,” said Brian Marshall, Vice President, Sports Product & Strategy, Disney Entertainment & ESPN. “Our team has continued to make the NHL viewing experience more interactive. We continue to evolve multiview, real-time stats, and how we integrate Fantasy Hockey so fans aren’t just following 16 games but choosing their own version of the night. It’s the most personalized Frozen Frenzy experience we’ve ever delivered.”
Tune in to the NHL Frozen Frenzy on Tuesday, October 28 led by a tripleheader on ESPN. Pregame action begins with The Point at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+. A whiparound show following the additional 13 matchups will air on ESPN2 and ESPN+ on the ESPN App.
Asking Bucci: What can fans expect?
Tripleheader on ESPN (All times ET)
6 p.m. | Pittsburgh Penguins-Philadelphia Flyers
8:30 p.m. | Washington Capitals-Dallas Stars
11 p.m. | Los Angeles Kings-San Jose Sharks
Whiparound show:
6-7:30 p.m. on ESPN2
7:30-11 p.m. on ESPN+
Catch an episode of The Drop with Arda Öcal and Greg Wyshynski on Wednesday for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Frozen Frenzy. The episode will go live at 5:30 p.m. on the ESPN App, NHL on ESPN YouTube and Facebook.
