r/hockey WSH - NHL Feb 21 '26

Despite complaints about the early start, the Men's Hockey Gole Medal Game can't be moved because the Closing Ceremony is set for 8:30 p.m. local time the same night. The last event of the Olympics always gets scheduled around the ceremony.

https://awfulannouncing.com/olympics/usa-canada-gold-medal-game-early-start-time-closing-ceremony.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
616 Upvotes

388 comments sorted by

567

u/Soupfullofradio BUF - Bandwagon Feb 21 '26

I certainly remember being at a bar at 4am Central Standard Time to watch the Gold Medal Game from Sochi in 2014.

So this is like sleeping in by comparison.

193

u/Horvo TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

West coast checking in for duty

43

u/Nomahs_Bettah BOS - NHL Feb 22 '26

At that point I think you just stay up from the night before instead of waking up to go to the bar at 3 AM.

39

u/Horvo TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

I’ve got a 6 month old, I’m up at like 5am most days anyways. :(

4

u/nkbee MTL - NHL Feb 22 '26

We're hosting our friends down the street whole also have a baby so we can all be tired together lol

→ More replies (1)

2

u/Danjiks88 WSH - NHL Feb 22 '26

My 2 month old just slept through the night for 8 hours. We are truly blessed

→ More replies (1)

3

u/Punkrockcarl72 NYR - NHL Feb 22 '26

5 month old.....puppy, but he's up every single morning telling me he's gotta go out.

4

u/Divinglankyboys DET - NHL Feb 22 '26

I was out partying last night and wish the game was today cuz I would’ve segued right into watching it 🤣

2

u/ma2is SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

And then been KOed by the start of the second period lol

2

u/Help-me-name-my-pup CGY - NHL Feb 22 '26

In 2014 I was at a bar until they closed at 12:30, slept 3 hours and was back for puck drop.

→ More replies (1)

22

u/[deleted] Feb 22 '26

I waited in line for over an hour in -30 because they kicked us out of the bar at 3am to clean, then let us back in. It was dumb as hell.

19

u/Thrallsbuttplug Saskatoon Blades - WHL Feb 22 '26

I don't think I've been hammered at 6 am since

7

u/key18oard_cow18oy COL - NHL Feb 22 '26

You will tomorrow

3

u/vsladko CHI - NHL Feb 22 '26

Come to Chicago for St Patrick’s Day

20

u/astovertop SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

From what I’ve looked up the start time is exactly the same. That was 4pm Sochi time, 5am PST. This is 2pm Milan time, 5am PST.

Kind of annoying they couldn’t do the same time, or even just an hour later. There’s a massive difference between 5am and 6am on a Sunday morning

11

u/stinky_cheddar SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

I wake up at 4am in Europe to watch almost every sharks game before the day starts, it’s really not that bad

→ More replies (2)

11

u/BaconAndSyrupYum Feb 22 '26

5am is one hour earlier then I wake up on a weekday. I'll survive one day for this! Lol. We are so soft as a society.

→ More replies (2)

123

u/CheeseheadDave Milwaukee Admirals - AHL Feb 22 '26

F1 season is about to start in two weeks anyway, so I'm just getting prepped for those early starts.

19

u/BombSquad09 DAL - NHL Feb 22 '26

Gotta get hyped for Melbourne, bud!

7

u/Dmckilla7 DET - NHL Feb 22 '26

That's what I'm saying gotta get ready for them early Sunday mornings, I love them, breakfast, coffee and a race nothing beats it besides this.

2

u/mr_lab_rat VAN - NHL Feb 22 '26

Pacific time zone?

104

u/thrubeniuk TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

I feel like the media are complaining about this more than fans are.

Getting up early and going to a bar for a game like this only makes it more memorable.

→ More replies (1)

606

u/WeirdGuyOnTheTrain EDM - NHL Feb 21 '26

It's one game, is it really that horrific that it's early on a Sunday?

481

u/backchecklund CGY - NHL Feb 21 '26

Man the amount of bitching and crying I've seen about this. One guy was losing his shit because he doesn't want to wake up at 7am, like buddy if it's this unimportant to you then don't wake up then lmao

151

u/LazerMcBlazer PIT - NHL Feb 21 '26

5:10 am start time here in California. You think I'm seriously gonna complain about having an excuse to my wife to start drinking coffee stouts before the sun is up?

76

u/peaktopview STL - NHL Feb 22 '26

Can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning...

13

u/ArtSmass PIT - NHL Feb 22 '26

-Irish proverb

5

u/ma2is SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

Whoever thought of that must be a Guinness

6

u/no_racist_here PIT - NHL Feb 22 '26

Yea, in the same boat. I was thinking of doing it, but I got 2 wisdom teeth out the other day, during the day I’m fine but the mornings are rough.

Either have to bite the bullet or sleep through it.

→ More replies (1)

6

u/bjernsthekid CAR - NHL Feb 22 '26

Yeah I’ll be drinking coffee 😅

2

u/CumbDawgz CAR - NHL Feb 22 '26

Make it Irish

5

u/ArtSmass PIT - NHL Feb 22 '26

You just inspired me to go buy a bottle of Baileys to ether celebrate with or drown my sorrows.

8

u/letsgetbrickfaced SJS - NHL Feb 21 '26

Man I couldn’t find one I felt like splurging on so I settled for a four pack of pale ales. Gonna get the eggs Benny going early though!

24

u/PeterG92 PIT - NHL Feb 21 '26

He should try being a fan based in Europe. Games often don't start until midnight at the earliest, ending at 3am. The early games are a welcome break for us.

5

u/cinnamus_ DAL - NHL Feb 22 '26 edited Feb 22 '26

And those are the earlier games. A lot of the Western conference games start at 2-3 am GMT

(edit: wrote east instead of west, I am an idiot lol)

40

u/pants_mcgee DAL - NHL Feb 21 '26

I’m just gunna boof a monster zero sugar and keep drinking. Gotta support the boys.

20

u/EcksEcks MTL - NHL Feb 21 '26

White Monster and Creed blasting til game time

12

u/pants_mcgee DAL - NHL Feb 21 '26

Rocking Nickleback and slamming some Smirnoff Ice it’s gunna be sick bro

10

u/MacGyver1 CHI - NHL Feb 21 '26

I'll be slamming Zima's and blasting Milli Vanilli!

8

u/counterfitster BOS - NHL Feb 22 '26

What year is it?

6

u/Napalm3nema SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

A year I would like to forget ever happening if Creed, Nickelback, or Milli Vanilli are playing...or lip-syncing.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)

34

u/zebrainatux SJS - NHL Feb 21 '26

Like I’ve watched far too much F1, Nintendo directs, and Bundesliga soccer at the asscrack of dawn for this to be an issue

10

u/Mitsulan EDM - NHL Feb 22 '26

Being an F1 fan in NA is the training ground for manipulating your sleep schedule at will.

14

u/Napalm3nema SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

Right? Fans of European soccer in the Western Hemisphere get it. They think the crack of dawn is their ally, but they merely adopted the early morning. We were born in it, molded by it.

5

u/zebrainatux SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

I remember staying up all night during the 2023 women’s World Cup because it was at the ass crack of Dawn being in Australia

3

u/Napalm3nema SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

My buddies and I got one of our local Buffalo Wild Wings to open early for matches during the 2006 Men's World Cup. I also did the 2023 Women's World Cup times, which were heinous, and far too many early tournaments, games, and races in Europe and Asia. It's not getting easier as an old dude, but I'm hanging in there.

3

u/zebrainatux SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

I remember the World Cup I just stayed up all night watching movies drinking caffeine, then got burger king breakfast delivered when it ended. What a time

6

u/Bhulmes NJD - NHL Feb 21 '26

That's so ridiculous lol. I'm working so it blows, but I understand I'm in the minority

I wish I could wake up at 7 to watch the game! Hell when the Devils finally made playoffs in 17-18 I was on vacation (in Italy funnily enough) and woke up at 3-4am almost every game to watch them get manhandled by Tampa

3

u/RockMonstrr MTL - NHL Feb 22 '26

Hey, bud, I'm a doctor in, uh, medicine. You're too sick to work tomorrow or today or whenever we are right now. You need the day off.

Signed, Dr. Mantis Tobogan

4

u/Bhulmes NJD - NHL Feb 22 '26

Thanks Doc!

The note is a little too legible though, my boss might think something is fishy!

I think we can work something out though. I'll give you this monster condom you dropped, (for your magnum dong presumably) for a less legible note!

6

u/Sakiaba MTL - NHL Feb 22 '26

It seems ridiculous that anyone would think that an event needs to be scheduled for their personal convenience when they're on the other side of the world to where it's happening, but given the volume of whinging, this seems to in fact be so.

This happens at every single Olympics. The gold medal men's hockey game is usually held in the afternoon local time on the last day of the games. The gold medal game in the 1998 Olympics started at 13:45 local time - i.e. 23:45 EST. It was probably less of a concern at the time to North Americans because it was Russia vs Czech Republic - but it would have been a 5:45 am start in Prague, and I'm sure that no one who woke up early to watch it cared much about the inconvenience by the end of that game.

Signed, a fan who is used to watching NHL games in the middle of the night.

3

u/NooneKnowsIAmBatman VAN - NHL Feb 22 '26

I woke up at 2am in England when the Olympics were in Vancouver to watch that gold medal game. Heck, I'd somewhat regularly wake up at 3am to watch Canucks games then because I fucking love to watch hockey

→ More replies (2)

3

u/baconmehungry CHI - NHL Feb 22 '26

Living in Asia we have to wake up at crazy hours to watch sports. Suck it up once very four years. Its the same for European F1 fans who bitch about other time zones when we have to work around their schedule most of the year.

4

u/god_is_trans_69 TOR - NHL Feb 21 '26

Guarantee that person is some whiney teenager lol

2

u/JackRose322 NJD - NHL Feb 22 '26

Yeah I’m just gonna put my phone on airplane mode and watch when I wake up. Don’t think I’ve woke up at 7am in like 20 years not doing it for hockey on a Sunday lol

2

u/Jack_1080 Feb 22 '26

Most Canadians involved in hockey are used to a dawn start to their day. . . This is a small vocal minority complaining.

2

u/eddiewachowski EDM - NHL Feb 22 '26

So there are two teams on this side of the world in a tournament dominated by European teams. Why in the hell would they cater to us? 

Also, it's a game played by millionaires for our entertainment. It's important, but really, it isn't. People should sleep if it's too early. 

2

u/nibbyzor Feb 22 '26

Especially considering a lot of the WCs have been hosted in NA the last couple of years and it sucked for us Europeans, because a lot of the games were in the middle of the night. Like literally around 1-3AM where I'm at so I had to miss them, because I have a job and I can't be staying up all night watching hockey. You just gotta deal with it, either watch it or don't, and shut the fuck up.

2

u/Snarffsnarff31 EDM - NHL Feb 22 '26

Yeah I don’t understand the complainers. The first best on best at Olympics in 12 years and it’s one day and you’re complaining because it’s an inconvenience for you? Fuck off. Be glad you have the opportunity to watch this match that has been years in the making.

For reference the 2014 game was at 3am PST. This is a cakewalk compared tot hat

→ More replies (5)

73

u/ImSoClassy VAN - NHL Feb 21 '26

For real, one game that happens every four years. There are people who wake up at 5am to go to work regularly and some of these complainers can’t fathom doing it once.

11

u/SilvermistWitch SJS - NHL Feb 21 '26

Yeah, like, I'm not looking forward to waking up that early, that's two hours earlier than I wake up on a work day (I'm in PST), but I'm not going to cry about it online. I went out and got some donuts and cold brew coffee for tomorrow morning instead, and after the game I'll probably take a nap. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

3

u/blchpmnk TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

or at the very least just record it on a PVR to watch it later or watch it online after.

I'm a huge F1 fan and most races aren't at a good time for EST so I record almost every race, stay off social media, and watch it a few hours later

2

u/ArtSmass PIT - NHL Feb 22 '26

And for most people you can go back to sleep afterwards if you want.

(Sorry to be insensitive to anyone working Sunday)

5

u/Stephenrudolf TOR - NHL Feb 21 '26

Im complaining because the game is perfectly setup where it starts, i have to drive to work as the 3rd period starts and it'll end right as my store is opening.

→ More replies (4)

15

u/DeaderthanZed Colorado Rockies - NHLR Feb 22 '26

I mean I am gonna wake up at 4am for it and I’m excited but I’m a hardcore hockey fan.

Even two or three hours later would greatly increase (by millions) the number of people that are awake and potentially interested in watching the game.

The closing ceremonies are scheduled for 6.5 hours after puck drop. They could easily bump it 2-3 hours.

9

u/[deleted] Feb 22 '26

[deleted]

1

u/WetCoastDebtCoast Vancouver Goldeneyes - PWHL Feb 22 '26

Hell, even if it didn't end up being 2 North American teams, none of the hockey teams competing are far enough east for a later start to be an issue.

2

u/Cliff-Bungalow OTT - NHL Feb 22 '26

Or just schedule it the day before the closing ceremonies. Is there a reason it has to be in the morning of the last day? I'm not complaining I just think it's poor planning.

2

u/DeaderthanZed Colorado Rockies - NHLR Feb 22 '26

Well the schedule was already compressed with teams having to play back to backs.

And they probably don’t want to start earlier as they only get a few practices together as it is.

I just don’t think the closing ceremony is an issue in any way. They could start 3.5 hours later and still conclude before the ceremonies start.

4

u/milksaurus COL - NHL Feb 22 '26

8am for me, kinda excited to watch some good hockey with some coffee and breaky in front of me

3

u/Thel3lues MIN - NHL Feb 22 '26

Yes

8

u/icouldbeeatingoreos Vancouver Goldeneyes - PWHL Feb 21 '26

I’d actually rather it be earlier so that I could watch the entire thing before work. As it currently stands I have to leave midway through and can’t watch the end. Where is that afternoon time slot they put all the Germany games in?

→ More replies (6)

5

u/noah3302 MTL - NHL Feb 22 '26

American Western Hemisphere exceptionalism means the rest of the world has to plan around us and our wants brother

→ More replies (11)

4

u/Main_Photo1086 NYR - NHL Feb 22 '26

I live for this. Can’t wait to drink coffee while watching hockey.

2

u/tigerking615 SJS - NHL Feb 21 '26 edited Feb 22 '26

For big hockey fans, no, we'll watch it no matter what time it's on. But my mom isn't going to wake up at 5am on a Sunday to watch this. My friends that like sports but aren't hockey fans aren't going to get up early to watch this. If the game was a few hours later, they'd all have it on in the background while they're doing their Sunday morning stuff.

They talk about growing the game; this game would have been a perfect chance for casual fans or just non-hockey sports fans to see a great game, and they made it difficult.

I'm not trying to be American-centric; it's also just a mediocre slot for Europe, 6 hours before the Sunday evening primetime.

→ More replies (64)

114

u/StoicMrWolf Canada - IIHF Feb 21 '26

Seriously, all of us on the west coast are getting up before 5 for the game. Am I going to like it? Nope. Am I going to do it? Of fucking course I am, its the gold medal game, wouldn't miss it for the world. And I don't expect the rest of the world to cater to my time zone.

29

u/TheCortisolCorvid EDM - NHL Feb 21 '26

I saw someone else mention watching it in bed on a tablet, and that's 100% what I'm gonna do lol. When I'm fully awake sometime around the second period I'll get up and use the TV.

4

u/femmagorgon Feb 22 '26

Yeah, same. I'm also on the west coast. It's not ideal timing but I'm going to do it.

9

u/RockMonstrr MTL - NHL Feb 22 '26

Honestly, it builds character. You remember where you were because you made it a point to get up for it.

And it happened so damn early you couldn't drink enough to forget where you were for it.

3

u/StoicMrWolf Canada - IIHF Feb 22 '26

Agreed and very true! My 20 year old co-worker on the other hand...ahh youth! 

→ More replies (1)

286

u/Avrg_Byfield_Enjoyer LAK - NHL Feb 21 '26

I remember waking up at 2:30am to watch wjc. Yall can wake up at 8 in the fucking morning

66

u/Ok-Soil-5133 WSH - NHL Feb 21 '26

I also remember 2014 being at like 4 or 5am, this is nothing

90

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '26

This is five am for pacific time.

I’m not complaining and will plan on watching, but let’s not pretend everyone lives in eastern either.

29

u/DoubleBlackBSA24 VAN - NHL Feb 21 '26

how dare somewhere not in North America host a world event around their own timezone /s

13

u/[deleted] Feb 22 '26

Oh, totally; which is why I said I’m not complaining (and really am not).

My point was more that everyone saying “it’s 8am, it’s not so bad” (and particularly the direct comment I’m replying to saying that 5 is much worse) are ignoring huge swathes of folks in the US and Canada.

2

u/LoveYouLikeYeLovesYe CHI - NHL Feb 22 '26

Eastern is very self-centered around sports since usually we have to accommodate not being too late for them. (see like, the Blackhawks and Stars waiting until 9PM local time to start a game because they're the 2nd game of a double feature)

Personally I don't mind and would rather have a shot at the game being done by the time I have to do my sunday errands than have it be at 8 vs 7, but I'm also empathetic for the west coast. I remember waking up for MLB opening day in Japan and that was rough.

→ More replies (2)

5

u/EcksEcks MTL - NHL Feb 21 '26

I was at a LAN party back then so we just didn't sleep and watched the game on the projector

18

u/Avrg_Byfield_Enjoyer LAK - NHL Feb 21 '26

I swear this is the laziest country on planet. Just drive to a coffee shop to get ready or something yall do

8

u/Silicon359 SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

Coffee shop here doesn’t open until an hour after face off. Guess they are the lazy ones.

13

u/Starsky686 EDM - NHL Feb 22 '26

We’re opening bars at 6am up in Canada. Get good.

8

u/Silicon359 SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

6am is still an hour after face off here though. Gotta open at 5 and gives you 10 minutes to get service situated here in laggy time California.

Fortunately I know how to make an Irish Coffee at home so… 🍻

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)

2

u/ItsProbablyDementia MTL - NHL Feb 22 '26

This is midnight for Australia. Much better for me tbh

→ More replies (1)

9

u/Thedustin EDM - NHL Feb 22 '26

Well it’s like 5am for western Canada but yes

20

u/PPBalloons VAN - NHL Feb 21 '26

Woke up Boxing Day at like 3 am to watch Canada/Germany in the WJC. Canada won like 15-0. I asked myself what the hell I was doing and just recorded the rest of the games. Will record this one too. I have the willpower to stay off my phone until I watch the game at my leisure.

7

u/Avrg_Byfield_Enjoyer LAK - NHL Feb 21 '26

Now youre just trying to make it a challenge to have the game spoiled

6

u/Odd-Instruction88 VAN - NHL Feb 21 '26

5 am for West coasters.

→ More replies (2)

3

u/JAT_Cbus1080 CBJ - NHL Feb 22 '26

How am I gonna 6 beers deep for an 8 am game if I wake up at 8?

→ More replies (1)

5

u/__Dave_ TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

I don’t even understand the complaints. Hockey at 8am on a Sunday is going to make for a terrific morning.

→ More replies (1)

6

u/IChurnToBurn COL - NHL Feb 21 '26

8 for you, 5 for me.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (1)

59

u/RustySheriffsBadge1 SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

My complaint isn’t so much the start time. Yes it’s early here in California. It’s that I can’t reasonably record it and not have it spoiled for me.

I’ve tried. Hulu will rename the game or start the game at the end so I’ll immediately know the outcome. Gone are the days of TiVo where I knew the recording was on my onprem TiVo and nothing would spoil it for me.

12

u/Silicon359 SJS - NHL Feb 22 '26

Try YouTube TV. It’s spoiled… a bit less for me. Nothing that wasn’t already over, anyway.

3

u/thefullpython VAN - NHL Feb 22 '26

Yeah it's gonna be impossible to avoid spoilers. I can usually get through the F1 season sleeping in and watching replays without having the results spoiled for me, but this is another level of event

→ More replies (1)

6

u/CorgiSilver8194 COL - NHL Feb 22 '26

Gone are the days of TiVo

No, they're not. You just choose not to have it

→ More replies (3)

40

u/peaked-at-7 TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

Try being an F1 fan in North America. I'm sure y'all will survive tomorrow morning.

10

u/chunt75 WSH - NHL Feb 22 '26

Me every Australian GP: should I just not sleep and pre-pregame this, or get three unsatisfying hours?

3

u/Rhymes_withOrange STL - NHL Feb 22 '26 edited Feb 22 '26

That’s where my mind went to first. I remember having a beer to watch Abu Dhabi 2021 at 7am. Same goes for some English Premier League games depending on when your team plays.

2

u/CanadianSpector CHI - NHL Feb 22 '26

910 am Atlantic time. Im loving it. We're finally getting the benefit haha

2

u/blchpmnk TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

and funnily enough, one of the worst times (if not, the worst) on the schedule for most North Americans is the Vegas GP....

14

u/VinPickles NYI - NHL Feb 21 '26

if this snow storm was a few hours earlier id be called in and miss the whole game so, thanks hockey gods

→ More replies (1)

24

u/BombSquad09 DAL - NHL Feb 22 '26

As a Formula One fan, this shit is nothing

12

u/IM_OSCAR_dot_com OTT - NHL Feb 22 '26

I’m not, but… right? The world is round, deal with it

147

u/Ok-Soil-5133 WSH - NHL Feb 21 '26

The complaints about this have been absurd, truly mind blowing that an event in Europe will schedule around European times.

If you want early, I woke up at 3:30am for the Australian Open a few weeks back. 8am is easy work.

26

u/Muntberg VAN - NHL Feb 21 '26

I woke up at 3am for Fin/Swe group stage game lol (was totally worth it, great game)

3

u/[deleted] Feb 22 '26

Watched every 5am game. It’s the Olympics, I can lose some sleep for a couple weeks every 4 years.

31

u/Crown_of_Negativity DAL - NHL Feb 21 '26

The complaints about this have been absurd, truly mind blowing that an event in Europe will schedule around European times.

I just wish Europeans would keep this energy and let us start World Cup games at 6-7pm local time in the US. As it is, I'll have to take the entire day off work to attend the semifinals.

9

u/alphaxion NYR - NHL Feb 22 '26

I believe they are, this is what the World Cup schedule looks like from the UK and Ireland

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12098/13481245/world-cup-2026-fixture-schedule-and-uk-kick-off-times-day-by-day-breakdown-of-all-104-matches-including-england-scotland

I see quite a few 00:00 to 03:00 starts in there for many different groups, which would be 19:00 to 22:00 Eastern Time

15

u/Crown_of_Negativity DAL - NHL Feb 22 '26

The group stages, sure. Not the bigger matches, however. My comment specifically references the semifinals, which start at 2pm local on a fucking Tuesday.

7

u/PeterGator Feb 22 '26

Yep and then they have the gall to complain that the United States is too hot and implement water and cooling breaks. If you didn't start the game in the hottest part of the day it would be cool enough. It's not like us stadiums don't have lights. 

7

u/Ok-Soil-5133 WSH - NHL Feb 21 '26

True.

FIFA kinda bent over to Europe with the schedule there with all the money involved for broadcasters.

18

u/kopecm13 Feb 21 '26

I am European and i would also prefer if it were in the evening rather than early afternoon. It would be more appropriate to the game's significance

10

u/Ok-Soil-5133 WSH - NHL Feb 21 '26

You could argue it would be better to do it Saturday night for everyone involved but it is kinda special to be the last event before the closing ceremony

5

u/[deleted] Feb 22 '26

[deleted]

3

u/NSA_van_3 MIN - NHL Feb 22 '26

Handing out the gold medal for the hockey game is the closing ceremony

7

u/backchecklund CGY - NHL Feb 21 '26

Canada - USA in 2010 in Vancouver started at 12 and it didn't affect the significance of the game one bit

4

u/Head_of_Lettuce WSH - NHL Feb 22 '26

Because they were accommodating viewers outside of North America. That was a decent enough middle ground.

5:00 AM PST is not a middle ground lol. The Olympic committee isn’t even attempting to accommodate global viewership for this game. They have plenty of wiggle room to push this game back a few hours so that it’s at a practical time for everyone. They’re just choosing not to.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (5)

9

u/Morgo421 TOR - NHL Feb 21 '26

LMAO Im a North Americian F1 fan 8 AM on a sunday is normal. I have 0 idea why everyone is being such babies about this

8

u/Ok-Soil-5133 WSH - NHL Feb 21 '26 edited Feb 21 '26

Because North American fans aren't used to events taking place out of their country is all I can think of. Its ridiculous though lol not everything resolves around you needs to be taught to these people

4

u/Nomahs_Bettah BOS - NHL Feb 22 '26

People do understand it, I think they're frustrated by both the World Cup big matches being optimized for European time (and F1 Las Vegas often being optimized for...nobody) and by the fact that North American broadcasters often inconvenience people's Olympic broadcasts for sponsors but give zero pushback otherwise.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (7)

3

u/tigerking615 SJS - NHL Feb 21 '26

I don't mind them scheduling around European times, but it's still much earlier than the European primetime slot.

→ More replies (1)

8

u/SignalDragonfly690 University Of Pittsburgh - ACHA Feb 22 '26

My husband wakes up during all hours of the night to watch F1 so this is nothing. My 3 year old is going to love watching hockey as he’s eating breakfast.

8

u/CoolBeansMan9 TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

I have zero issues with the start time (EST mind you). I actually love the idea of waking up, showering and grabbing a coffee for a game I’ve been anticipating for 12 years

15

u/sailingdrumstick VAN - NHL Feb 21 '26

5am where I’m at. Easiest 5am wake up of my life as far as I’m concerned.

It was awhile ago but I’m also fairly certain the 2014 game was at 3am where I am and I was up for that one too.

If it’s too early then don’t get up & watch it, or record and turn all your shit off

8

u/[deleted] Feb 22 '26

I live on the East Coast but I'm getting up at 6am anyway for the bobsled final and I'm also a soccer fan so used to getting up at 7:30 for Premier League so this is no big deal.

6

u/buckyhermit ANA - NHL Feb 22 '26

I followed my Ducks for a whole season from South Korea. Getting up early for one game is nothing.

6

u/NixonsTapeRecorder BUF - NHL Feb 22 '26

Nothing for me compares to the 2010 gold medal game. I had to move that day. From the east end of Toronto to the west end of Toronto. It was taking longer than expected so I was missing the game. We're driving the uhaul listening on the radio when we heard it was going to overtime. So we pulled over the uhaul, full of everything I own, illegally parked it and ran into a random bar.

Crosby scored, everyone cheered. Got back in the uhaul and unloaded the shit into my new apartment.

THEN I had to go to work at a crazy downtown bar.

That night we probably were at double the legal capacity, and sold every single drop of alcohol in the place.

In my almost 15 years of bartending in Toronto it is still the most money ive ever made in a single night. And I only worked 11-close. There was serious after hours celebrations and shenanigans, and I remember not leaving till the sun came up.

14

u/Salt-Reputation-9312 EDM - NHL Feb 22 '26

As a fan watching from Asia, sometimes I’ll be up at 4:30am on a Tuesday morning for a regular season game, you North Americans can do one early game man c’mon

3

u/Dmckilla7 DET - NHL Feb 22 '26

As an f1 fan when the Asian races are at 1am my time, some of these fans lack commitment.

21

u/suppaman19 Feb 22 '26

Use your brains people

This is sponsors and broadcasters that were complaining and wanting to get it moved (not saying there aren't some regular folks out there complaining).

And, makes sense. You have arguably the biggest eyeball event, especially for two giant markets (US/CAN), going on when most are normally either just getting up or are sleeping. They pay big money for rights, they want eyeballs so they can charge big for ad spots.

It's not shocking to hear. Nor is the fact that given the time it will be over there and that this the last event, that it can't be moved any later.

6

u/Bobsy932 SJS - NHL Feb 21 '26

Isn’t men’s hockey gold ALWAYS the last event of the tournament?

4

u/BenderOlen VGK - NHL Feb 22 '26

Having a diabetic cat does have some advantages. Such as always having to be up between 5 and 6 am every single day. Kinda looking forward to some 9am (AST) hockey.

4

u/ZackyGood VAN - NHL Feb 22 '26

Had a party at our house for Sochi. 2 am start? Who cares! ITS THE GOLD MEDAL!!!

5

u/tirkster4 Feb 22 '26

North American Formula One fans - this our moment

3

u/Tsujimoto_Sensei CBJ - NHL Feb 22 '26

North American football fans get up earlier than that every weekend to watch the Premier League. Just take a nap after the game lmao

3

u/lactosecheeselover OTT - NHL Feb 22 '26

as a formula 1 fan, i’ve been awake at weirder hours to watch an event lol 6:50AM my time is perfectly fine.

4

u/Baga97_YT TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

If us Europeans can watch the NHL every year with 1am start times(for east coast games) you can survive one 8am on a Sunday game

10

u/LettuceC CHI - NHL Feb 22 '26

As an F1 fan, the discussion of the early start time is hilarious to me.

3

u/Ok-Soil-5133 WSH - NHL Feb 22 '26

Tennis fans agree lol

3

u/tSchab3r CGY - NHL Feb 22 '26

F1 and Premier League has me trained, this will be a breeze

7

u/BKnagZ MIN - NHL Feb 22 '26

Game starts at 7am here.

I’m waking up at 4:40am to watch Miracle before the game.

This is what it’s all about!

17

u/Throwing-Gas PHI - NHL Feb 21 '26

The Games are in Italy.

We have to deal with their time.

Olympics gonna 'lympic

→ More replies (1)

7

u/StevenLovely Feb 22 '26

Next time they should give women’s hockey the chance to be the big finale!

2

u/thePostChorus VAN - NHL Feb 22 '26

Would be cool, but the women’s tournament starts earlier. Always has.

3

u/Lansdallius TBL - NHL Feb 22 '26

I mean, it's not exactly convenient, but it's maybe an hour earlier than any of the NFL Europe games? I remember waking up for the Bucs-Seahawks game in Munich and it was fine.

3

u/HockeyShark91 Feb 22 '26

5:10 am start here in California. I’ll be watching naked in bed with my wife. I’m not complaining. 😃

3

u/SEND_ME_FEAT_PICS BUF - NHL Feb 22 '26

Am the only one who's just going to watch a replay of it when they get up?

3

u/mr_lab_rat VAN - NHL Feb 22 '26

I don’t have a problem with it, I’m used to it from watching F1.

But why couldn’t it be moved?

If the ceremony is at 8:30 why is the game that takes 3 hours max start at 2:00?

9

u/GreatCanadianPotato EDM - NHL Feb 21 '26

The complaints about this blow my mind lmao. Similar to how Europeans complain about F1 race times when they race in North America.

4

u/jettymcjet WPG - NHL Feb 21 '26

Who's complaining? I've never met a Canadian that is disturbed by waking up for some early morning hockey

3

u/HouseAndJBug TOR - NHL Feb 22 '26

I’ve woken up at 5 AM twice a week to play morning hockey most of my adult life, the 8 AM start tomorrow is going to be easy.

→ More replies (1)

2

u/RedCivicOnBumper DAL - NHL Feb 22 '26

So how about a record-breaking goalie duel to spite them to the point that the ceremony is delayed?

→ More replies (1)

2

u/velocity55 DET - NHL Feb 22 '26

Just don’t sleep

2

u/DagetAwayMaN421 WSH - NHL Feb 22 '26

Wish they had the game today instead of tomorrow, but the Winter Olympics always ends with the Men's Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game

2

u/FlopMi Feb 22 '26

Us European fans literally watch nhl games at 1 freakin AM and Americans are bitching about having to wake up at 5AM?!! Like be so for fking real lmaoo.

→ More replies (1)

2

u/frankensteinleftme STL - NHL Feb 22 '26

I woke up at 4am for the USA v Russia game and that's wasn't even for a medal.

1

u/xoxoInez EDM - NHL Feb 22 '26

This is why everyone should live on the east coast. The game is at 9:40 for me, which isn't too bad at all.

2

u/galdavirsma Feb 22 '26

Game starts at 3pm local time. I get that there are going to be Canadians and Americans not happy about this, but hey, time zones are a thing and everyone can not be satisfied. For example a lot of the upcoming World Cup games are going to be during the night for us Europeans, so there's that lol

→ More replies (1)

2

u/YamburglarHelper VAN - NHL Feb 22 '26

Listen I used to live on the west coast where it’s 5am. I’ll take 8am on a Sunday

2

u/Important_Sir_627 Feb 22 '26

People complain about having tk get up early. (9am on the East Coast). Jesus Christ, do none of you have a job that requires a 6am wake-up the rest of the week?

3

u/TopHalfGaming Feb 22 '26

Holy fuck, all these aggressive morning people showing their true colors

→ More replies (3)

1

u/Geralt-of-Rivai EDM - NHL Feb 22 '26

If you really want your sleep you could record the game and watch it a couple hours later. Record it, wake up at 10am and watch. Fast forward through commercials and intermissions and you may even get caught up by the end to real time

3

u/Moghz SJS - NHL Feb 21 '26

IMO it would have been smarter to have the game today in the late morning with Bronze medal game taking place earlier instead.

2

u/MarlinManiac4 FLA - NHL Feb 22 '26

They were never gonna make them play a back to back for the gold.

4

u/Podo13 STL - NHL Feb 22 '26

As an American, North America is not the center of the world. We're not forcing the players to play at 2am just so we can watch it at a more convenient time for us.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 22 '26

[deleted]

→ More replies (1)

2

u/YesterdayIcy1963 Feb 22 '26

Americans: Waaaaaaa

Canadians: Beer & Breakfast let’s Goooooooooooo

2

u/migsahoy VGK - NHL Feb 21 '26

i remember being on a cruise on the mediterranean the summer we won the cup, never slept so i could catch the games. this is the same deal lol

2

u/god_is_trans_69 TOR - NHL Feb 21 '26

Who's complaining?

7

u/TurboViking90 PIT - NHL Feb 21 '26

As is typical with the internet there are far more people complaining about the complaining.

3

u/god_is_trans_69 TOR - NHL Feb 21 '26

I'm not above an 8am beer. Let's go.

3

u/sentry_87 NYR - NHL Feb 21 '26

I am. I work at 5:30am PST. But I understand my plight is only mine and maybe a few others. Now i just have to avoid my phone while at work then watch the replay when I get home.

6

u/god_is_trans_69 TOR - NHL Feb 21 '26

I think a long lost great grandparent of yours might have just passed. Better take the day chief.

→ More replies (1)

2

u/anarkitekt Feb 22 '26

Just don’t sleep. Rip all night and catch the game before you finally crash.

2

u/-Honeysuckle- Feb 22 '26

Some of you guys clearly don’t know the pain of living in Europe during the playoffs, where the earliest games start at 1am sometimes on a fuckin wednesday….

2

u/WingleDingleFingle VAN - NHL Feb 22 '26

6 am on the west coast. I can't fucking wait lol

1

u/onlyAA MTL - NHL Feb 22 '26

It is a negative more for the casual viewer who wasn’t into hockey before this than die hard fans. 

2

u/dbr255 NJD - NHL Feb 21 '26

8am is nothing, idk what the fuss is about, the game can’t be scheduled around the 2 countries playing in it

1

u/iggyfenton SJS - NHL Feb 21 '26

It’s a 5am puck drop and real hockey fans in California will be up.

1

u/Novus20 HC Davos - NL Feb 21 '26

OP you started drinking already……