With Olympic hockey finally back on the global stage in 2026, NBC didn’t just prepare its cameras and commentary teams for the 2026 Winter Olympics at Milan-Cortina. It reached into the past.
In a move that caught the attention of longtime viewers, the network revived a familiar piece of its NHL-era identity just as Team USA geared up for its tournament opener on Thursday, February 12.
Moments before puck drop, NBC rolled out its classic hockey broadcast theme, ‘NHL on NBC,’ which once introduced countless NHL matchups during the network’s 16-year run with league rights.
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For many fans, that music was inseparable from the voice of Doc Emrick and the golden era of ‘NHL on NBC’ coverage, and its sudden return sparked a wave of nostalgia across social media.
For many fans, the nostalgia comes from how distinct that era felt on television. The opening hockey theme music, Doc Emrick’s unmistakable play-by-play voice, and NBC’s big-event presentation became closely tied to some of the league’s most memorable moments.
Whether it was playoff overtime games or New Year’s Day outdoor classics, those broadcasts formed a consistent viewing experience for over a decade. So when elements like the old theme resurface today, they tend to trigger memories of a familiar time in NHL coverage.
From 2005 to 2021, NBC served as the national broadcast home of the NHL in the United States, helping the league regain mainstream visibility after the 2004–05 lockout.
Through its partnership, NBC aired regular-season games, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Winter Classic matchups across NBC and NBCSN. The network became insanely famous for its storytelling-driven coverage, fabulous camerawork, and, of course, the voice of play-by-play commentator Doc Emrick.
Signature events like the Winter Classic also grew into major television attractions under NBC’s watch. By the time its media rights deal ended in 2021, NHL on NBC had played a key role in expanding the league’s U.S. audience and modern TV presentation.
However, per Awful Announcing, “Maybe the NHL on NBC and its theme will make an official return one day, like the NBA on NBC and ‘Roundball Rock’ did this season.”
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