NEW YORK — The NHL has teamed up with P-X-P to enhance engagement with the Deaf community by developing an alternative telecast for the Winter Classic that includes analysis presented in American Sign Language (ASL).

The league and P-X-P, a company dedicated to improving accessibility in sports through ASL, made this exciting announcement on Thursday.

The initiative first launched during the recent 2024 Stanley Cup Final when Florida faced off against Edmonton, marking a historic moment with two Deaf commentators providing commentary in sign language during a major sports event for the very first time.

This innovative telecast will once again be available for viewers, streaming live on Max in the United States and Sportsnet+ in Canada, on December 31 as the Chicago Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field.

Steve Mayer, the NHL’s chief content officer, expressed pride in the league’s ongoing mission to offer a completely immersive and accessible viewing experience tailored to the Deaf community’s needs. He emphasized, “This is an NHL-led production for the Deaf by the Deaf, and we invite all fans watching at home to tune in and enjoy this unique telecast.”

In these specialized broadcasts, traditional hearing commentators are absent, though natural sounds from the arena are preserved. This includes sounds like penalty calls by officials and the distinct sound of skates on ice. Viewers will also be able to see visual elements like a crowd intensity meter that showcases the noise levels during the game.

While closed captioning has existed for over 40 years, it has not provided the same level of access for Deaf viewers as the new telecasts do. The tailored coverage offers a more meaningful engagement for those in the Deaf community.

For the Winter Classic, Jason Altmann, the chief operating officer of P-X-P, along with Noah Blankenship from Denver’s Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, will be featured on the right side of a split screen. This format mirrors their presence during the seven games of the Stanley Cup Final.

Altmann remarked on the initiative, stating, “The NHL is setting a commendable standard as a pioneer in the sports industry for Deaf inclusion and accessibility, and I am proud to contribute to this transformative effort.”