O Canada? For Kings’ telecasts, it’s no Canada

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Unless you subscribe to the NHL Center Ice package, you won’t be able to see the telecasts of the Kings’ games at Vancouver tonight, at Edmonton on Tuesday or at Calgary on Thursday.

Unfortunately for the Kings, this hiatus in Fox Sports West’s TV coverage comes at a time when the team is leading the Western Conference and, with a victory over the Canucks tonight, could have the best record in the league.

The Kings aren’t televising any games in Canada this season. Was it something Bob Miller said the last time he visited the Great White North? Did Jim Fox talk about going ‘tweeners’ once too often?

Apparently not. Mike Altieri, the Kings’ vice president of communications and broadcasting, said the club is trying to present the most comprehensive schedule possible. The Kings have cleared any blackouts so fans in Southern California who have Center Ice will be able to watch the opposing team’s telecasts on this trip.

‘We understand that Kings fans without the NHL Center Ice package will be disappointed, but we continue to work closely with our partners at Fox to devise the most compelling 65-game high definition schedule,’ Altieri said.

I’ve asked a spokeswoman for Fox Sports West for an explanation, and I’ll add that if/when it arrives.

[update]

Here’s a non-answer answer from Whitney Garvens of Foxsports.net:

‘We have committed our efforts and resources to delivering on our all-HD promise to the fans. For the first time ever, all our Kings telecasts -- 65 in all-- are in HD this season.’

-- Helene Elliott, in Vancouver