When ESPN’s NHL coverage takes the ice each fall, much of the season’s look and feel is shaped months earlier at one of the league’s most important events: the NHL Player Media Tour (PMT).
This year’s Player Media Tour provided ESPN with access to 30-40 of the NHL’s top players, creating opportunities for everything from on-ice creativity to sit-down interviews.
The PMT is where Kevin Davies, ESPN Managing Producer for NHL, leads the charge in collaborating with the league and ensuring we capture the right mix of content to fuel storytelling across our platforms all season long.
“This is the single greatest content capture that we have with a business partner at ESPN,” said Davies. “In addition to the season’s storytelling plans, what we build from the PMT sets the tone for the look and feel of our NHL coverage. The Player Media Tour is the footprint for how our fans consume ESPN’s hockey content over the next year, and I couldn’t be happier with what our team is delivering for 2025-2026.
Davies was quick to credit the behind-the-scenes effort that makes the event possible. “From a logistics standpoint, I really have to give credit to Camille Bova (Senior Production Coordinator) and Megan Anderson (Manager, Storytelling & Original Content). I lean on them every single day in the months of planning, and they do a phenomenal job making sure this event runs smoothly.” He also noted the support from features, social, synergy, and marketing teams who contributed to the production.
“I’ve had the luxury of working with Kevin on this project for the past 5 years,” said Bova. “There’s no one I know who works harder, or who can accomplish more than Kevin can. It was gratifying to see him take the reins on Player Media Tour this year – a uniquely complex event requiring collaboration across five ESPN departments, the NHL and all 32 teams. Kevin did an outstanding job leading the charge and bringing our vision to life.”
Looking ahead, Davies points to a number of tentpole events that will define the 2025–26 NHL season for ESPN. “It’s a long and exciting year with great tentpoles like opening night, Frozen Frenzy, and the Stadium Series in Tampa that is going to be awesome,” he said. “We’re all very excited about having the Cup back on ABC this year with the Panthers trying to win three in a row.”
With a clear vision and season-defining content already in hand, Davies and his team are set to deliver another year of dynamic NHL coverage for fans everywhere.
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