Coverage of the National Hockey League broadcast by ESPN beginning with the channel's premiere in 1979. ESPN would cover the league for three seasons from 1979 to 1982, except for the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals which aired on USA Network. In 1984 the entire league moved to USA Network, but by 1985 it moved back to ESPN who aired the entire season including the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals. After the 1987-1988 season, ESPN would lose the league to the struggling SportsChannel America Network, forever hurting it chances to become a league with as much recognition as the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL would return to ESPN and ABC in 2021 after over 20 years.