After 3,750+ Professional and Olympic hockey games, 100 different verbs used to describe a pass or shot, and 22 Stanley Cup Finals, the legendary Mike "Doc" Emrick has announced his retirement from broadcasting.
— #ThankYouDoc (@NHLonNBCSports) October 19, 2020
From hockey fans around the world, we say #ThankYouDoc! pic.twitter.com/Pt27Dp63TW
The U.S. coverage of the NHL will change significantly with the retirement of Mike "Doc" Emrick. Known to a generation for his work on NBC and NBCSN, Emrick's career took him to CBS, ABC, and Fox among other outlets.
Emrick liked Canada, something a certain NBCSN announcer (John Forslund) can't say himself. He had an appreciation for old-time hockey. Emrick cut back his workload in the last couple of years.
When the NHL All-Star Game was in Ottawa in 2012, Emrick noted the 126-mile length of the Ottawa Canal and pointed out that the canal was open for skating until the thaw. Emrick's style was about the small things but making them seem big. That will be missed.
Chris Cuthbert would have been on a list of possible replacements. Cuthbert specifically noted wanting to call the Stanley Cup for a Canadian broadcaster.
Chris Cuthbert picks Stanley Cup final over TSN, jumps to Rogers Sportsnet
The battle for the #1 voice is generally between John Forslund and Kenny Albert. Forslund could not work out a deal to continue broadcasting for the Carolina Hurricanes (all on the Hurricanes, not on Forslund). Albert would be the logical pick except for his many sports duties, including New York Rangers radio and MLB and NFL on Fox Sports. Both announcers will get more NHL games when the league is back.
Gary Thorne has been put into exile at MASN for Baltimore Orioles telecasts in 2020. Thorne would only be a short-term substitute given his age, assuming he is interested.
Brendan Burke and Alex Faust are rising stars at NBCSN but not likely to jump into the #1 seat. Mike Tirico is an option but has a very busy schedule for NBC Sports, including the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, if that happens.
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Dave Randorf is a free agent with big game experience but might find a home at TSN for NHL and CFL. Rick Ball might be available depending on the status of Rogers and the Calgary Flames. Paul Romanuk and Mark Lee have plenty of time. NBCSN still needs to account for the lost games Cuthbert covered since 2014. Gord Miller remains an option for NBCSN but has a busy day job at TSN.
Rick Peckham is also retiring from Tampa Bay; Peckham helped out on some NBCSN telecasts. Dave Strader would be the favorite if he were still alive. Perhaps NBCSN would look into Steve Levy or John Buccigross from ESPN as a possible #1 pick.
The 2020-2021 season is the final season for the current NBC contract with the NHL.
Emrick called the 2014 Winter Classic involving the Toronto Maple Leafs and the 2016 Winter Classic involving the Montréal Canadiens. NBCSN didn't use him in any of the Heritage Classics or the Centennial Classic in Toronto. Here is the shootout call in Ann Arbor on January 1, 2014. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement.
Twitter capture: @NHLonNBCSports
video and photo credit: YouTube/NHL
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