Messier says 'change' is inevitable as the NHL enters streaming era on Amazon

Over his quarter century in the National Hockey League, Mark Messier witnessed sweeping technological changes to the game, from the advent of lighter hockey sticks to the use of video reviews.

Over his quarter century in the National Hockey League, Mark Messier witnessed sweeping technological changes to the game, from the advent of lighter hockey sticks to the use of video reviews.

Now, the Canadian Hall of Famer believes hockey is poised for another leap as it moves into the streaming era.

Messier will be among the on-air talent for Amazon Prime Video’s new NHL broadcast, “Prime Monday Night Hockey,” the league’s first exclusive national broadcast package with a digital-only streaming service in Canada.

Shows will be broadcast from the home team’s arena, kicking off Monday when the Montreal Canadiens host the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre – with U.S. sports announcer John Forslund doing the play-by-play.

Amazon's new venture could set the stage for a major shakeup in broadcast rights when Rogers Communications Inc.'s current 12-year deal with the NHL expires in 2026.

“(I learned) I have to evolve as a player if I'm going to be able to play for 26 years. I think the same thing can be said in the way we bring the game to life for people watching on TV,” Messier said on a call from Toronto.

“The technology's changing all the time — sophistication in cameras, ideas of how we bring and immerse the fans into the game have all changed. You have to be willing to change in order to keep up."