A total of 28 Canadians are on the Sharks and Pens rosters - both Captains are Canadians. As far as beating each other up, I'd say the pucks did more damage last night to the players blocking all those shots.
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Bettman appears to have some serious medical issues and appears to be not long for this mortal plane.
yes the shot block in 'all' of hockey has become a very big part of the game, and also causes many
leg injurys, keeping some players out for a game or two, and has caused bone breakages at times.
my daughter, who played quality highly competitive hockey from a little girl right through into
adulthood and on, said one day, "you know, I think shot blocking should be illegal in the game",
wow I had to step back and think about that statement, and of course it won't happen, but she
thinks it interferes with the flow of the game, and chops the game up into something not so interesting
to watch, and also 'again' adds another level of defense, which already has become a science used
by coaches to a level where no one has an inch of space to actually makes great plays, and travel
with the puck up and down the ice using skating and passing and body checking as the initial talents
in the game.
we have always seen the defense go down just out in front of the goalie, but during the earlier years, all of that throwing onself on the ice further out in the zone, was non existent.
the coaches constantly come up with more and more ways to 'stop' offense, it has
become so detailed, that offense, with any flow at all, is hard to find. I wonder
what they will come up with next.
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it was pretty obvious that Crosby would win the con smythe trophy, and I'm ok with that, but there
are others who could have been chosen, chris letang would have been worthy, and one other player who
had a huge part in keeping the games close and making life tough for Pittsburgh was martin jones, he
also could have been chosen, as without him the series could have been a sweep, games would
have been more lopsided for Pittsburgh.
losing goalies have been chosen in the past, and it is actually a compliment to the winning team
when the opposing goalie is given that award, just shows how good he had to be to keep the losing
team competitive, san jose is a bigger team, they showed a bit slower, and their game strategy always
is to slow the game down, play a technical strategy, but Pittsburgh wasn't having any of that, their
strategy was 'not' to get sucked into that style, and I noticed some of san jose's players got tired
out there as well, that style didn't suit san jose's game.
the whole league now seems to be going after foot speed and non stop up and down the ice, younger stars
are being born, and its very exciting to watch, goalies are better, defense are bigger, but also can
skate well, a much different game now than in the past, just get up off of the ice you shot blockers
and skate instead of wasting time lying around on the ice, and save your body from serious wounds from
a puck going around a hundred miles an hour, the goalie has the equipment for that job.
are others who could have been chosen, chris letang would have been worthy, and one other player who
had a huge part in keeping the games close and making life tough for Pittsburgh was martin jones, he
also could have been chosen, as without him the series could have been a sweep, games would
have been more lopsided for Pittsburgh.
losing goalies have been chosen in the past, and it is actually a compliment to the winning team
when the opposing goalie is given that award, just shows how good he had to be to keep the losing
team competitive, san jose is a bigger team, they showed a bit slower, and their game strategy always
is to slow the game down, play a technical strategy, but Pittsburgh wasn't having any of that, their
strategy was 'not' to get sucked into that style, and I noticed some of san jose's players got tired
out there as well, that style didn't suit san jose's game.
the whole league now seems to be going after foot speed and non stop up and down the ice, younger stars
are being born, and its very exciting to watch, goalies are better, defense are bigger, but also can
skate well, a much different game now than in the past, just get up off of the ice you shot blockers
and skate instead of wasting time lying around on the ice, and save your body from serious wounds from
a puck going around a hundred miles an hour, the goalie has the equipment for that job.
SAN JOSE – Perhaps Sidney Crosby will never score 100 points ever again. Then again, maybe he will. If you go by analytics, logic states that his numbers should begin declining at some point pretty soon. But he proved in the Stanley Cup final, and by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, that he’s about so much more than numbers.
“I think Sidney Crosby’s best hockey is ahead of him,” said Penguins assistant GM Bill Guerin.
Whoa there, cowboy. Best hockey ahead of him? Two Stanley Cups, two scoring championships, two Hart Trophies, a Conn Smythe, five 100-point seasons, two Olympic gold medals and a space waiting for his plaque in the Hockey Hall of Fame and his best hockey is still ahead of him? Well, if you consider that Crosby has essentially turned himself into a Selke Trophy candidate and that he’s altered his entire game a la Steve Yzerman, perhaps that’s not as outlandish as it sounds.
“I think it’s the best comparison you can make,” said GM Jim Rutherford when asked if Crosby is following the Yzerman career path.
“We talked about it a little bit when I first got here. It was what Scotty (former Red Wings coach Bowman) did with Yzerman. You don’t have to score as many points to be successful. Be the all-round player. And he’s the all-round player.”
To be sure, the Sidney Crosby who raised the Stanley Cup in triumph seven years ago and the one that raised it Sunday night in San Jose are very different players and people. As expected, Crosby is a far more disciplined player and leader now. The same player who had earned a reputation for complaining to referees a little too much accepted the liberties taken on him – and handed a few of them out himself – without so much as batting an eyelash.
But it was Crosby’s commitment to the two-way game that stood out, particularly in the final. He had just four assists in the series, but how many goals did Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton score in the final? Well, let’s look it up here. Oh, that would be one. Combined.
And it was an empty-net goal by Pavelski in Game 5. There was not an area of the ice where Crosby did not make a pivotal contribution. His pass to Conor Sheary in Game 1 was a thing of beauty, his larceny in the faceoff circle in overtime of Game 2 was a game-changer. But his commitment to shutting down his opponents and allowing others to contribute offense was the most prominent of his contributions.
“There’s more to just winning games than scoring goals,” Crosby said. “It feels great, it’s important. That’s what our job is. But there’s a lot of other things that go into it. Just making sure that you don’t sacrifice all those other things to push for a goal here or there, that was the biggest thing.”
There are those who would prefer to see a goal here or there, your trusty correspondent included. Would it be more entertaining to watch Crosby score 120 points a year and another 40 in the playoffs. Hell, yeah. But one thing you have to understand about the NHL is that entertainment is not part of the on-ice equation. Teams are rewarded for stopping goals more than scoring them and as insipid as that notion is, it is what wins hockey games, playoff series and, ultimately, Stanley Cups. And Crosby is coming to the realization that it has to be a big part of his game if he wants to keep on winning. It’s called “playing the game the right way,” by hockey people.
And they’re the ones who influence the game.
“What I really admire about Sid is that it didn’t matter,” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. “All that mattered was we were winning.
And that was all he cared about. He was a handful every shift. He elevates his game at the right time to get our team over the hump.
His numbers are no indication of how hard he played or the impact he had on helping us win.”
Sidney Crosby, 82-point scorer, two-way stalwart, defensive demon. It might just be something we’re all going to have to get used to hearing in the future. And his opponents will have to learn to deal with it.
Sidney Crosby channels his inner Steve Yzerman to win Conn Smythe | The Hockey News
SAN JOSE – Perhaps Sidney Crosby will never score 100 points ever again. Then again, maybe he will. If you go by analytics, logic states that his numbers should begin declining at some point pretty soon. But he proved in the Stanley Cup final, and by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, that he’s about so much more than numbers.
“I think Sidney Crosby’s best hockey is ahead of him,” said Penguins assistant GM Bill Guerin.
Whoa there, cowboy. Best hockey ahead of him? Two Stanley Cups, two scoring championships, two Hart Trophies, a Conn Smythe, five 100-point seasons, two Olympic gold medals and a space waiting for his plaque in the Hockey Hall of Fame and his best hockey is still ahead of him? Well, if you consider that Crosby has essentially turned himself into a Selke Trophy candidate and that he’s altered his entire game a la Steve Yzerman, perhaps that’s not as outlandish as it sounds.
“I think it’s the best comparison you can make,” said GM Jim Rutherford when asked if Crosby is following the Yzerman career path.
“We talked about it a little bit when I first got here. It was what Scotty (former Red Wings coach Bowman) did with Yzerman. You don’t have to score as many points to be successful. Be the all-round player. And he’s the all-round player.”
To be sure, the Sidney Crosby who raised the Stanley Cup in triumph seven years ago and the one that raised it Sunday night in San Jose are very different players and people. As expected, Crosby is a far more disciplined player and leader now. The same player who had earned a reputation for complaining to referees a little too much accepted the liberties taken on him – and handed a few of them out himself – without so much as batting an eyelash.
But it was Crosby’s commitment to the two-way game that stood out, particularly in the final. He had just four assists in the series, but how many goals did Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton score in the final? Well, let’s look it up here. Oh, that would be one. Combined.
And it was an empty-net goal by Pavelski in Game 5. There was not an area of the ice where Crosby did not make a pivotal contribution. His pass to Conor Sheary in Game 1 was a thing of beauty, his larceny in the faceoff circle in overtime of Game 2 was a game-changer. But his commitment to shutting down his opponents and allowing others to contribute offense was the most prominent of his contributions.
“There’s more to just winning games than scoring goals,” Crosby said. “It feels great, it’s important. That’s what our job is. But there’s a lot of other things that go into it. Just making sure that you don’t sacrifice all those other things to push for a goal here or there, that was the biggest thing.”
There are those who would prefer to see a goal here or there, your trusty correspondent included. Would it be more entertaining to watch Crosby score 120 points a year and another 40 in the playoffs. Hell, yeah. But one thing you have to understand about the NHL is that entertainment is not part of the on-ice equation. Teams are rewarded for stopping goals more than scoring them and as insipid as that notion is, it is what wins hockey games, playoff series and, ultimately, Stanley Cups. And Crosby is coming to the realization that it has to be a big part of his game if he wants to keep on winning. It’s called “playing the game the right way,” by hockey people.
And they’re the ones who influence the game.
“What I really admire about Sid is that it didn’t matter,” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. “All that mattered was we were winning.
And that was all he cared about. He was a handful every shift. He elevates his game at the right time to get our team over the hump.
His numbers are no indication of how hard he played or the impact he had on helping us win.”
Sidney Crosby, 82-point scorer, two-way stalwart, defensive demon. It might just be something we’re all going to have to get used to hearing in the future. And his opponents will have to learn to deal with it.
Sidney Crosby channels his inner Steve Yzerman to win Conn Smythe | The Hockey News
well, in my mind, Crosby is just back to where he use to be, he has gone thru a bit of a lull in
his career, and its nice to see the old Crosby, I wondered if that would happen, or had he just
hit a place where he was going to cruise along thru the rest of his career, without going back to
that player we all saw in the first years.
all this stuff from all these people is fine,i'm not real interested in all that
hype, but I have my memories of him, fresh and clear, and
also how he played these playoffs, this is the player that went first overall for a reason,and he has
always been a 200 ft player, and he has always been a leader, just
like mcdavid and Tavares and others with that high level of play, they don't go first overall for no
reason, but then there is yakapov, who is different, not a very strong draft year, and he has had to
learn a lot, but he is also a Russian, so he has had to learn a few more things than a Canadian born
first over all player, but he is getting better too.
Happy as I am that Sidney won the Con Smythe, I would have been just as happy to see Martin Jones win it too, talloola. Winning is wonderful but to win someone has to lose. In the midst of my celebrations last night, I took the time to pay tribute to the Sharks and most of all their outstanding goalie. My heart absolutely went out to him. He is a champion just as much as those who carry the trophy today and one day, I would not be surprised to see him hoist one of his own.
yes, I agree, he was traded to the east by l.a. because they didn't want him playing against them in the
west, but that team did another trade with san jose, and sent him back west to san jose, I wonder what
l.a. thought when that happened. he has a great career ahead of him.
talloola; said:
MLB takes far too long for me to sit through a game. I root for all NY teams and will watch the highlights on the news. Usually, soccer & NFL are the only two teams sports I watch with the NY Giants being my faves.
Much prefer to watch college basketball and lacrosse on tv or online.
However, I much prefer to attend games. Today I watched a baseball game of neighborhood 14 year olds. A soccer game was on at the same time and I watch both from my seat. Thereafter, another soccer game of under 15 year olds was on. I saw a triple header for FREE and that's always fun.
I don't follow NFL, but I do follow the Canadian CFL, just a few teams, not so many to keep track of.
we were very involved with minor sports for years while our kids were growing up, some very serious
and very competitive teams as they became a bit older and experienced.
we use to go to fastpitch
games here, but they only play slowpitch now, not interested in watching that, but there is many
more participation in that sport, so I guess its good in that respect.
my husband played lacrosse for quite a few years, a rough tough game, I watched many of them, its
a good sport, he also played fastpitch and hockey for years, and did lots of coaching in both hockey and ball.
hockey is finished now, and tv doesn't have much of interest we find, some very good informative shows
'Canada over the edge' and also 'aerial america', we watch them often, have learned a lot about both
of our countries histories, and other such shows.
so we are enjoying MLB, I don't mind sitting thru the games because they are at the end of the day,
just when I want to relax anyway, and we know the game inside out, so its good to follow.
Ron MacLean: 'Nothing's official' on replacing Stroumboulopoulos as HNIC host
THE CANADIAN PRESS
First posted: Sunday, June 19, 2016 09:24 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, June 19, 2016 09:35 PM EDT
Ron MacLean says "nothing's official" following a Toronto Star report he is poised to replace George Stroumboulopoulos as host of "Hockey Night in Canada" next season.
The longtime broadcaster says "there's a few balls in the air and things like that" but until Sportsnet executives Scott Moore or Rob Corte "says it's official, it's not official."
Citing industry sources, the Star reported Sunday that MacLean would return to main host's chair, a spot he occupied for nearly 30 years.
A Sportsnet spokeswoman declined comment on the report.
Stroumboulopoulos became the host of "Hockey Night in Canada" in 2014 after Rogers acquired the NHL rights in a 12-year, $5.2-billion deal.
MacLean saw his role reduced to being Don Cherry's sidekick on Coach's Corner and hosting the Sunday night show "Hometown Hockey."
In an interview Sunday night, MacLean said he remains focused on those roles for now.
"I love 'Rogers Hometown Hockey' and Coach's Corner. I've got those jobs as it is now," he said. "I'm kind of focused on that and I think there's this feeling that we may do more or that I may do more going forward but I can guarantee that it's not solid yet until Scott Moore says it is."
Moore, the president of Sportsnet and NHL properties, hinted earlier this month that there could be changes coming following a low-rated playoff run.
"We're all kind of just looking at next year and trying to figure out what's happening," said MacLean.
Audience levels fell below the million mark for many early-round playoff games, which didn't feature a single Canadian team. While ratings improved for the Stanley Cup final, they were down on average from last season.
Rogers has revamped hockey coverage since taking the reins from CBC. The move to replace MacLean with Stroumboulopoulos has been controversial with Stroumboulopoulos seen by some fans as an outsider.
Stroumboulopoulos is on a five-year deal while MacLean is in the middle of a four-year contract.
Sportsnet announced earlier this month that Cherry had signed a new multi-year deal.
Ron MacLean: 'Nothing's official' on replacing Stroumboulopoulos as HNIC host |
THE CANADIAN PRESS
First posted: Sunday, June 19, 2016 09:24 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, June 19, 2016 09:35 PM EDT
Ron MacLean says "nothing's official" following a Toronto Star report he is poised to replace George Stroumboulopoulos as host of "Hockey Night in Canada" next season.
The longtime broadcaster says "there's a few balls in the air and things like that" but until Sportsnet executives Scott Moore or Rob Corte "says it's official, it's not official."
Citing industry sources, the Star reported Sunday that MacLean would return to main host's chair, a spot he occupied for nearly 30 years.
A Sportsnet spokeswoman declined comment on the report.
Stroumboulopoulos became the host of "Hockey Night in Canada" in 2014 after Rogers acquired the NHL rights in a 12-year, $5.2-billion deal.
MacLean saw his role reduced to being Don Cherry's sidekick on Coach's Corner and hosting the Sunday night show "Hometown Hockey."
In an interview Sunday night, MacLean said he remains focused on those roles for now.
"I love 'Rogers Hometown Hockey' and Coach's Corner. I've got those jobs as it is now," he said. "I'm kind of focused on that and I think there's this feeling that we may do more or that I may do more going forward but I can guarantee that it's not solid yet until Scott Moore says it is."
Moore, the president of Sportsnet and NHL properties, hinted earlier this month that there could be changes coming following a low-rated playoff run.
"We're all kind of just looking at next year and trying to figure out what's happening," said MacLean.
Audience levels fell below the million mark for many early-round playoff games, which didn't feature a single Canadian team. While ratings improved for the Stanley Cup final, they were down on average from last season.
Rogers has revamped hockey coverage since taking the reins from CBC. The move to replace MacLean with Stroumboulopoulos has been controversial with Stroumboulopoulos seen by some fans as an outsider.
Stroumboulopoulos is on a five-year deal while MacLean is in the middle of a four-year contract.
Sportsnet announced earlier this month that Cherry had signed a new multi-year deal.
Ron MacLean: 'Nothing's official' on replacing Stroumboulopoulos as HNIC host |
i really like strom-----, I hope he stays, mclean should do what he is doing, and not comeback, strom-----
is a very bright guy, any fans who think he is an outsider should look at themselves, he is a Canadian, loves the hockey, so
give him more time to become just as ingrained in the show as mclean was, strom---- has much more of
a personality, he is so bright and quick, and is learning on the job all the ins and outs of chit
chatting with the panel, he is a great host.
mclean had his time, leave it alone.
probably just all the eastern stick in the muds who also don't ever want cherry to leave, personally,
I can do without both of them right now, but I don't mind mclean in 'the hometown hockey' thing, that
is interesting.
is a very bright guy, any fans who think he is an outsider should look at themselves, he is a Canadian, loves the hockey, so
give him more time to become just as ingrained in the show as mclean was, strom---- has much more of
a personality, he is so bright and quick, and is learning on the job all the ins and outs of chit
chatting with the panel, he is a great host.
mclean had his time, leave it alone.
probably just all the eastern stick in the muds who also don't ever want cherry to leave, personally,
I can do without both of them right now, but I don't mind mclean in 'the hometown hockey' thing, that
is interesting.
I like how people say that Strombo is an outsider; when Ron MacLean was hired, he was an outsider, too. It's kind of a meaningless comment.
People don't like change.
For the most part, I like how Rogers does the NHL coverage; I found far more games on TV to watch than before. I generally turn to the Food Network when Don Cherry comes on, though.
People don't like change.
For the most part, I like how Rogers does the NHL coverage; I found far more games on TV to watch than before. I generally turn to the Food Network when Don Cherry comes on, though.
yep, me too, if I need some wise words about hockey, don cherry is the last person I will ask.
his show is just a show, not a hockey knowledgeable time during the intermission.
I like hockey central, and also some of the satellite nhl hockey chat is good, and there is lots
on the internet to get advice or suggestions, others on the nhl panels who are very knowledgeable
and also interesting, I certainly don't need to sit and watch him holler and shout just to attract
those who think there is something intelligent about that style, there isn't.
and yes, when mclean showed up to start his nhl exposure, who was he, ? George is so intelligent, and his ability to mix in the conversation about the game, and also be the 'host', not an easy multi tasking
job, and he does it extremely well, and his brain is so quick, he follows what everyone is saying as
they chat during the intermission, and joins in with a question which will help them swing onto a
different part of what is going on in the game. I like him a lot.
if they switch back to mclean I will be very disappointed, but also maybe George wants to leave, maybe it is his own plan, this is the first I have hard about it, so I really don't know.
For the first, and likely only time in my life, I know someone who is ranked in the draft rankings. If he gets drafted, it will likely be 5th round or higher, but it will be interesting to see what happens.
good luck to him, lots of good players have come from the later rounds, late bloomers.
Class act, Ron MacLean, deserves to be back as HNIC host
By Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun
First posted: Monday, June 20, 2016 12:02 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, June 20, 2016 02:54 PM EDT
TORONTO - Phil Kessel must have laughed at one of the best "Up yours, Toronto" moments in years when he held up the Stanley Cup last week.
There’s even word Kessel is bringing the Cup to Toronto -- you know, just to rub the salt in the wounds.
Regardless of the situation, there’s no feeling better than pointing out to the very people who gave up on you that they were wrong.
But there will be none of that with Ron MacLean.
No victory lap. No flip of the finger or microphone drop.
The guy is all class, which is a good reason why Hockey Night in Canada wants to bring him back this fall for the 2016-17 NHL season. He didn’t burn any bridges when he had every reason to do just that after being replaced with “younger and hipper” George Stroumboulopoulos.
In fact, MacLean, who had been in the host's chair for almost three decades, was supportive.
“I think it’s a great idea to get George -- someone younger, it’s always good,” he told reporters at the 2014 announcement. “Dave Hodge was 26 when he started, I was 26 when I started and we sort of broke in as the fresh faces to a great team.”
Always gracious and somewhat self-deprecating, he said “George can handle the show -- he’s a great ringleader.”
Of course, the audience decides what works and what doesn’t. From the beginning they did not like this experiment.
Look at the results of the Toronto Sun poll on that day in 2014 that asked: “Do you like the idea of George Stroumboulopoulos replacing Ron MacLean as the face of Hockey Night in Canada?”
The yes side had 16% of the votes while the no side was 84%.
Ouch.
And it never got better.
It was always going to be an uphill battle for George, who has tremendous talents and, like MacLean, is a great Canadian.
Was he miscast here? I don’t think so, actually. The guy loves hockey. I had this great picture of him when he was down to see his beloved Montreal Canadiens at the Hangar. He was like a kid in the candy store.
I grew to enjoy the panels with the excellent talents of Kelly Hrudey, Elliotte Friedman and Nick Kypreos. They all did the best they could with an on-ice product that sucked. The Maple Leafs were unwatchable the last two seasons, once you got past Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry and Ron in the first intermission.
It didn’t help that the rest of the Canadian teams didn’t make the playoffs. Blame that on Strombo if you like, but most realize he was the frontman for a dog’s breakfast.
Meanwhile, MacLean was on this strange Sunday night hometown hockey tour that was also not exactly lighting things up.
I said from the beginning what they should have done was give Strombo that show and groom him for the big job. Let him grow into his hockey pants.
The problem is there are no shortcuts to greatness. Hockey fans are not fairweather nor bandwagon people. They are a special breed and they like what they like. Change is not one of those things.
The one thing Sportsnet president Scott Moore got right was making sure MacLean was signed to a four-year contract because now he’s available to plug back into the big show.
None of this is official but sources say this is where things are going. Hockey fans will be glad to have Ron back where he belongs.
Strombo is too strong a broadcaster to not get another opportunity and I would like to see him back in the interviewing game because he’s so amazingly good at that.
So what about Ron MacLean and his feelings on all this?
He was telling me Monday he’s laying low in his office, preparing for the Rio Olympics and not commenting.
But I know Ron. If and when they call his number, he will be over the boards to do his part for the team.
There’s no ‘I told you so” coming from that gracious man. Leave that kind of thing to me -- or better yet, to a guy like Phil Kessel.
jwarmington@postmedia.com
Class act, Ron MacLean, deserves to be back as HNIC host | Warmington | Hockey |
Reported Hockey Night in Canada personnel shake-up not surprising
By Michael Traikos, Postmedia Network
First posted: Monday, June 20, 2016 07:44 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, June 20, 2016 07:59 PM EDT
Two years after George Stroumboulopoulos replaced Ron MacLean as host of Hockey Night in Canada, the reverse is happening.
Multiple reports state MacLean will once again take over hosting duties for the 2016-17 NHL season. But, according to a CBC insider, the change was a long time coming.
Stroumboulopoulos was reportedly not Rogers' first choice when hiring a new host to start the 2014-15 season. The broadcasting giant accepted him on the basis that he would attract a younger demographic of viewers and usher in a new era for Hockey Night in Canada.
That kind of change takes time. Following his first year on the job, however -- in which ratings for the popular hockey program took a hit -- "there was a groundswell at the lower levels to make the change" back to MacLean or a more traditional hockey host.
Scott Moore, president of Sportsnet and NHL properties for Rogers Communications, handpicked Stroumboulopoulos and refused to let one year determine the 43-year-old's fate.
It is only now, after two years of sagging ratings, that Rogers appears to be reaching back in the past for MacLean, who hosted the show from 1986 to 2014.
MacLean told the Canadian Press that nothing is official. But the fact that Rogers has been forced into a position to make significant changes to its on-air product is hardly surprising.
RELATED:
WARMINGTON: MacLean deserves to be host again
Since purchasing the rights to being the exclusive Canadian broadcast and multimedia partner of the NHL in November 2013 -- a 12-year agreement worth C$5.2 billion -- Rogers has been hit by a run of bad luck that was out of both Stroumboulopoulos' and broadcasters' control.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that drives ratings across the country, finished with the fourth-worst record in the first year of the agreement and were dead-last this past season. And after five of seven Canadian teams qualified for the 2015 NHL post-season, none made the playoffs this spring for the first time in 46 years.
That wasn't Stroumboulopoulos' fault. If anything, the numbers allowed those who had never been a fan of his different style and take on hockey to make their voices heard.
Instead, the CBC insider said that, unlike MacLean, who is a respected voice in the hockey world, Stroumboulopoulos seemed out of his element debating the sport's biggest issues with Nick Kypreos and other panel members. The hope was that he would get better with time. But with the show struggling with ratings, there appears to be increased pressure to "put the host that everybody's liked from the beginning and revive it."
Viewership for the opening round of the 2016 playoffs was down 58% overall from where it was a year ago, with CBC's numbers taking a massive 69% hit. Moore told Postmedia in April that an average audience of 492,000 viewers tuned in for the first 20 games of the playoffs from April 13 through April 17 -- a significant drop from the 1.306 million average for the first 21 first-round games last post-season.
It was so bad that Moore joked that the draft lottery "could be the highest-rated hour of the playoffs."
When the deal was signed, Moore knew there were going to be lean years. It just so happened that they happened at the beginning of the deal.
“We’re in uncharted territory, right?” Moore told Postmedia then. “I’d rather be doing this interview in Year 5 of the deal after we had three deep runs of Canadian teams.”
Still, Moore had tried to spin the poor numbers by saying the U.S. versus U.S. match-ups were "actually a little higher of what we'd expect on Sportsnet." It was still a failure, though, considering how much Rogers had spent to snag the rights.
With more games on multiple channels every day of the week, there had been a belief that Rogers would be able to grow its audience by 20% from what CBC had previously delivered. But in two short years, Rogers has not even come close to those numbers -- in fact, they are down.
There is still time to turn things around, of course. The highly anticipated 2016 NHL draft goes this weekend.
With the Leafs picking first, the Winnipeg Jets holding the second-overall pick and the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames picking in the top six, there could be better days ahead.
"If we had a short-term deal -- if we had a three-year or a five-year deal -- I'd be concerned," Moore told Postmedia in April. "But, over the course of a 12-year deal, you're going to get ebbs and flows.
"I don't think anyone expected to have a year where you had no Canadian teams. But in two years, if it's Toronto and Edmonton in the Stanley Cup final, I think that the reporting and tenor of the deal will be significantly different. Eventually in this deal you'll have a couple of Canadian teams going deep."
The question now is whether Moore will be around then.
With Keith Pelley already gone as president of Rogers Media -- he resigned in April 2015 to take a job as the commissioner and CEO of golf's European Tour -- and Stroumboulopoulos reportedly heading out the door as well, most are expecting Moore will soon follow.
Email: mtraikos@postmedia.com
Twitter: @Michael_Traikos
Reported Hockey Night in Canada personnel shake-up not surprising | TRAIKOS | Ho
Hockey fans happy with expected Ron MacLean return to HNIC
By Daniel McKenzie, Toronto Sun
First posted: Monday, June 20, 2016 09:29 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, June 20, 2016 09:33 PM EDT
TORONTO - Two years after Hockey Night In Canada got a facelift, reports are swirling that they’re replacing the new with the old; George Stroumboulopoulos out and Ron MacLean back in as host.
While no official announcement has been made, fans of the former host weren’t shy about their excitement.
“I can tell you it was a nice surprise hearing that Ron MacLean might be back. He is such a Canadian icon,” Cassie Klein said in an e-mail to the Sun. “Not only is he extremely knowledgeable about hockey, but he is also someone all Canadians can be proud of. His demeanour is one that attracts many.”
Klein runs a Facebook page called Bring Back Ron MacLean, which has nearly 1,000 supporters. She understands Rogers Media trying to appeal to a “younger and more hip crowd” with Strombo, but said sometimes you shouldn’t mess with a good thing.
“I am a 24-year-old female … Ron MacLean wasn’t stale (to me),” she said. “So at the end of all this, I and many hockey-loving Canadians would be overjoyed to see him back.”
There have been several other Facebook groups created since Rogers made the hosting change in 2014, all with similar names boasting hundreds of their own “Likes.” Saskatchewan resident Matthew Lammerding started his group in April 2015.
“I think it’s great that Ron is coming back … should have been sooner,” he said. “Sometimes public pressure goes a long way. Plus, there are some things in Canada you just can’t mess with, such as hockey, and more specifically, Hockey Night in Canada.”
While social media was littered with negative comments regarding Stroumboulopoulos, others acknowledged it wasn’t so much about him as it was about preserving the tradition of the long-running Saturday night program.
“I had nothing against Strombo, but Hockey Night In Canada is an institution,” said Steve Fontaine, a 52-year-old Barrie resident and fellow group founder. “Everybody wants to see Ron MacLean and Don Cherry. There was no need for a change. Those two are considered Gods when it comes to hockey.” MacLean has ridden shotgun with Cherry on the popular intermission segment Coach’s Corner since 1986. Cherry recently signed a multi-year extension.
— With files from Canadian Press
dmckenzie@postmedia.com
Hockey fans happy with expected Ron MacLean return to HNIC | Hockey | Sports | T
By Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun
First posted: Monday, June 20, 2016 12:02 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, June 20, 2016 02:54 PM EDT
TORONTO - Phil Kessel must have laughed at one of the best "Up yours, Toronto" moments in years when he held up the Stanley Cup last week.
There’s even word Kessel is bringing the Cup to Toronto -- you know, just to rub the salt in the wounds.
Regardless of the situation, there’s no feeling better than pointing out to the very people who gave up on you that they were wrong.
But there will be none of that with Ron MacLean.
No victory lap. No flip of the finger or microphone drop.
The guy is all class, which is a good reason why Hockey Night in Canada wants to bring him back this fall for the 2016-17 NHL season. He didn’t burn any bridges when he had every reason to do just that after being replaced with “younger and hipper” George Stroumboulopoulos.
In fact, MacLean, who had been in the host's chair for almost three decades, was supportive.
“I think it’s a great idea to get George -- someone younger, it’s always good,” he told reporters at the 2014 announcement. “Dave Hodge was 26 when he started, I was 26 when I started and we sort of broke in as the fresh faces to a great team.”
Always gracious and somewhat self-deprecating, he said “George can handle the show -- he’s a great ringleader.”
Of course, the audience decides what works and what doesn’t. From the beginning they did not like this experiment.
Look at the results of the Toronto Sun poll on that day in 2014 that asked: “Do you like the idea of George Stroumboulopoulos replacing Ron MacLean as the face of Hockey Night in Canada?”
The yes side had 16% of the votes while the no side was 84%.
Ouch.
And it never got better.
It was always going to be an uphill battle for George, who has tremendous talents and, like MacLean, is a great Canadian.
Was he miscast here? I don’t think so, actually. The guy loves hockey. I had this great picture of him when he was down to see his beloved Montreal Canadiens at the Hangar. He was like a kid in the candy store.
I grew to enjoy the panels with the excellent talents of Kelly Hrudey, Elliotte Friedman and Nick Kypreos. They all did the best they could with an on-ice product that sucked. The Maple Leafs were unwatchable the last two seasons, once you got past Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry and Ron in the first intermission.
It didn’t help that the rest of the Canadian teams didn’t make the playoffs. Blame that on Strombo if you like, but most realize he was the frontman for a dog’s breakfast.
Meanwhile, MacLean was on this strange Sunday night hometown hockey tour that was also not exactly lighting things up.
I said from the beginning what they should have done was give Strombo that show and groom him for the big job. Let him grow into his hockey pants.
The problem is there are no shortcuts to greatness. Hockey fans are not fairweather nor bandwagon people. They are a special breed and they like what they like. Change is not one of those things.
The one thing Sportsnet president Scott Moore got right was making sure MacLean was signed to a four-year contract because now he’s available to plug back into the big show.
None of this is official but sources say this is where things are going. Hockey fans will be glad to have Ron back where he belongs.
Strombo is too strong a broadcaster to not get another opportunity and I would like to see him back in the interviewing game because he’s so amazingly good at that.
So what about Ron MacLean and his feelings on all this?
He was telling me Monday he’s laying low in his office, preparing for the Rio Olympics and not commenting.
But I know Ron. If and when they call his number, he will be over the boards to do his part for the team.
There’s no ‘I told you so” coming from that gracious man. Leave that kind of thing to me -- or better yet, to a guy like Phil Kessel.
jwarmington@postmedia.com
Class act, Ron MacLean, deserves to be back as HNIC host | Warmington | Hockey |
Reported Hockey Night in Canada personnel shake-up not surprising
By Michael Traikos, Postmedia Network
First posted: Monday, June 20, 2016 07:44 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, June 20, 2016 07:59 PM EDT
Two years after George Stroumboulopoulos replaced Ron MacLean as host of Hockey Night in Canada, the reverse is happening.
Multiple reports state MacLean will once again take over hosting duties for the 2016-17 NHL season. But, according to a CBC insider, the change was a long time coming.
Stroumboulopoulos was reportedly not Rogers' first choice when hiring a new host to start the 2014-15 season. The broadcasting giant accepted him on the basis that he would attract a younger demographic of viewers and usher in a new era for Hockey Night in Canada.
That kind of change takes time. Following his first year on the job, however -- in which ratings for the popular hockey program took a hit -- "there was a groundswell at the lower levels to make the change" back to MacLean or a more traditional hockey host.
Scott Moore, president of Sportsnet and NHL properties for Rogers Communications, handpicked Stroumboulopoulos and refused to let one year determine the 43-year-old's fate.
It is only now, after two years of sagging ratings, that Rogers appears to be reaching back in the past for MacLean, who hosted the show from 1986 to 2014.
MacLean told the Canadian Press that nothing is official. But the fact that Rogers has been forced into a position to make significant changes to its on-air product is hardly surprising.
RELATED:
WARMINGTON: MacLean deserves to be host again
Since purchasing the rights to being the exclusive Canadian broadcast and multimedia partner of the NHL in November 2013 -- a 12-year agreement worth C$5.2 billion -- Rogers has been hit by a run of bad luck that was out of both Stroumboulopoulos' and broadcasters' control.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that drives ratings across the country, finished with the fourth-worst record in the first year of the agreement and were dead-last this past season. And after five of seven Canadian teams qualified for the 2015 NHL post-season, none made the playoffs this spring for the first time in 46 years.
That wasn't Stroumboulopoulos' fault. If anything, the numbers allowed those who had never been a fan of his different style and take on hockey to make their voices heard.
Instead, the CBC insider said that, unlike MacLean, who is a respected voice in the hockey world, Stroumboulopoulos seemed out of his element debating the sport's biggest issues with Nick Kypreos and other panel members. The hope was that he would get better with time. But with the show struggling with ratings, there appears to be increased pressure to "put the host that everybody's liked from the beginning and revive it."
Viewership for the opening round of the 2016 playoffs was down 58% overall from where it was a year ago, with CBC's numbers taking a massive 69% hit. Moore told Postmedia in April that an average audience of 492,000 viewers tuned in for the first 20 games of the playoffs from April 13 through April 17 -- a significant drop from the 1.306 million average for the first 21 first-round games last post-season.
It was so bad that Moore joked that the draft lottery "could be the highest-rated hour of the playoffs."
When the deal was signed, Moore knew there were going to be lean years. It just so happened that they happened at the beginning of the deal.
“We’re in uncharted territory, right?” Moore told Postmedia then. “I’d rather be doing this interview in Year 5 of the deal after we had three deep runs of Canadian teams.”
Still, Moore had tried to spin the poor numbers by saying the U.S. versus U.S. match-ups were "actually a little higher of what we'd expect on Sportsnet." It was still a failure, though, considering how much Rogers had spent to snag the rights.
With more games on multiple channels every day of the week, there had been a belief that Rogers would be able to grow its audience by 20% from what CBC had previously delivered. But in two short years, Rogers has not even come close to those numbers -- in fact, they are down.
There is still time to turn things around, of course. The highly anticipated 2016 NHL draft goes this weekend.
With the Leafs picking first, the Winnipeg Jets holding the second-overall pick and the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames picking in the top six, there could be better days ahead.
"If we had a short-term deal -- if we had a three-year or a five-year deal -- I'd be concerned," Moore told Postmedia in April. "But, over the course of a 12-year deal, you're going to get ebbs and flows.
"I don't think anyone expected to have a year where you had no Canadian teams. But in two years, if it's Toronto and Edmonton in the Stanley Cup final, I think that the reporting and tenor of the deal will be significantly different. Eventually in this deal you'll have a couple of Canadian teams going deep."
The question now is whether Moore will be around then.
With Keith Pelley already gone as president of Rogers Media -- he resigned in April 2015 to take a job as the commissioner and CEO of golf's European Tour -- and Stroumboulopoulos reportedly heading out the door as well, most are expecting Moore will soon follow.
Email: mtraikos@postmedia.com
Twitter: @Michael_Traikos
Reported Hockey Night in Canada personnel shake-up not surprising | TRAIKOS | Ho
Hockey fans happy with expected Ron MacLean return to HNIC
By Daniel McKenzie, Toronto Sun
First posted: Monday, June 20, 2016 09:29 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, June 20, 2016 09:33 PM EDT
TORONTO - Two years after Hockey Night In Canada got a facelift, reports are swirling that they’re replacing the new with the old; George Stroumboulopoulos out and Ron MacLean back in as host.
While no official announcement has been made, fans of the former host weren’t shy about their excitement.
“I can tell you it was a nice surprise hearing that Ron MacLean might be back. He is such a Canadian icon,” Cassie Klein said in an e-mail to the Sun. “Not only is he extremely knowledgeable about hockey, but he is also someone all Canadians can be proud of. His demeanour is one that attracts many.”
Klein runs a Facebook page called Bring Back Ron MacLean, which has nearly 1,000 supporters. She understands Rogers Media trying to appeal to a “younger and more hip crowd” with Strombo, but said sometimes you shouldn’t mess with a good thing.
“I am a 24-year-old female … Ron MacLean wasn’t stale (to me),” she said. “So at the end of all this, I and many hockey-loving Canadians would be overjoyed to see him back.”
There have been several other Facebook groups created since Rogers made the hosting change in 2014, all with similar names boasting hundreds of their own “Likes.” Saskatchewan resident Matthew Lammerding started his group in April 2015.
“I think it’s great that Ron is coming back … should have been sooner,” he said. “Sometimes public pressure goes a long way. Plus, there are some things in Canada you just can’t mess with, such as hockey, and more specifically, Hockey Night in Canada.”
While social media was littered with negative comments regarding Stroumboulopoulos, others acknowledged it wasn’t so much about him as it was about preserving the tradition of the long-running Saturday night program.
“I had nothing against Strombo, but Hockey Night In Canada is an institution,” said Steve Fontaine, a 52-year-old Barrie resident and fellow group founder. “Everybody wants to see Ron MacLean and Don Cherry. There was no need for a change. Those two are considered Gods when it comes to hockey.” MacLean has ridden shotgun with Cherry on the popular intermission segment Coach’s Corner since 1986. Cherry recently signed a multi-year extension.
— With files from Canadian Press
dmckenzie@postmedia.com
Hockey fans happy with expected Ron MacLean return to HNIC | Hockey | Sports | T
oh well, whatever they do they do. I don't like that closed clickey kind of thinking about not liking
change, concerning the people, as I don't think their lower ratings have anything to do with strombo,
but they are just trying to get better ratings, and maybe the old stuffy types will be glad if mclean
comes back, so if ratings get better with him back, so be it.
I'm an older person, have watched mclean for ions, but I'm not stuck in my ways, and I liked strombo
very much, and I also saw a real good chemistry with the panel on the hockey night in Canada.
strombo will be fine, he is very talented, and I will miss him there, but it is what it is, so good
luck to them. I've got nothing against mclean, and I can just switch channels when cherry comes on
so that's good, I can listen in the 2nd intermission when 'real' hockey minds exchange information without
trying to impress everybody with loudness and big statements, that mean zilch, that's all cherry is,
hollering at everyone, trying to give the 'kids' info, that they all will get from their coaches and
parents anyway, all basic stuff, but there is definitely certain Canadians, maybe the ones who still
only have tv antennas, lol, that think he is the king of hockey night in Canada, and I've always felt
sorry for mclean having to be his 'boy' to snap at and correct and treat as though he is stupid, sort of like the 2 stooges.
change, concerning the people, as I don't think their lower ratings have anything to do with strombo,
but they are just trying to get better ratings, and maybe the old stuffy types will be glad if mclean
comes back, so if ratings get better with him back, so be it.
I'm an older person, have watched mclean for ions, but I'm not stuck in my ways, and I liked strombo
very much, and I also saw a real good chemistry with the panel on the hockey night in Canada.
strombo will be fine, he is very talented, and I will miss him there, but it is what it is, so good
luck to them. I've got nothing against mclean, and I can just switch channels when cherry comes on
so that's good, I can listen in the 2nd intermission when 'real' hockey minds exchange information without
trying to impress everybody with loudness and big statements, that mean zilch, that's all cherry is,
hollering at everyone, trying to give the 'kids' info, that they all will get from their coaches and
parents anyway, all basic stuff, but there is definitely certain Canadians, maybe the ones who still
only have tv antennas, lol, that think he is the king of hockey night in Canada, and I've always felt
sorry for mclean having to be his 'boy' to snap at and correct and treat as though he is stupid, sort of like the 2 stooges.
watched NHL awards show from las vegas tonight. I enjoy seeing who wins what, but totally dislike
the format, same every year, dumb jokes that bomb all night, from a host who just doesn't cut it.
why do these events have to try to be funny, stand up comedy types, that ruin the whole thing.
henrik won the 'clancy' award for his off ice achievements, well deserving, good for him.
next to come is the first round of the nhl entry draft, Friday, second round Saturday.
the format, same every year, dumb jokes that bomb all night, from a host who just doesn't cut it.
why do these events have to try to be funny, stand up comedy types, that ruin the whole thing.
henrik won the 'clancy' award for his off ice achievements, well deserving, good for him.
next to come is the first round of the nhl entry draft, Friday, second round Saturday.
HNIC returns to its roots
Postmedia Network
First posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 06:33 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 06:41 PM EDT
Hockey Night in Canada is poised to return to its tried and true roots and hockey fans couldn’t be happier.
George Stroumboulopoulos does what he does well. But what he does, what he’s known and respected for, isn’t hosting sports programming.
That’s what Ron MacLean does – and he’s one of the best in the business. That’s why it’s a no brainer for Rogers to put MacLean back in the host chair for HNIC.
Canadian millennials know and love Strombo for his time as Much Music host over a decade ago, as well as his CBC show The Hour.
Joe Warmington points out Strombo’s a strong broadcaster and interviewer and deserves another big gig somewhere. But he just wasn’t the right fit for Canada’s marquee hockey program.
Back in 2014, when MacLean was first taken out of the chair in favour of Strombo, our readers poll showed 84% of respondents thought the switch was a bad idea. Hockey ratings meanwhile plummeted post-MacLean - although in fairness the reasons also included the absence of Canadian teams in this year’s playoffs.
When most Canadians think of hockey on the small screen, Don Cherry is the first person who comes to mind. He’s the brand. And Strombo’s the opposite of that brand. Can you imagine those two on Coach’s Corner together? Talk about the odd couple!
The word on the street is that sports programming execs told Strombo that he had to change his style. His urban hipster fashion wasn’t resonating with viewers.
Strombo reportedly didn't see the need for a do over. He wouldn’t budge. Kind of ironic, no? Here’s the supposedly young, trendy guy essentially saying you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
As it stands, the word isn’t official. Ron McLean says the deal is still up in the air. But it looks like the switch is going to happen in time for next season. The fans are already applauding the decision online and on the talk circuit.
Strombo, who’s passionate about hockey and a diehard Habs fan, was given a chance few broadcasters in this country get – to sit in the big HNIC chair. It was a great opportunity and there will no doubt be others in his future.
HNIC returns to its roots | EDITORIAL | Editorial | Opinion | Toronto Sun
Postmedia Network
First posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 06:33 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 06:41 PM EDT
Hockey Night in Canada is poised to return to its tried and true roots and hockey fans couldn’t be happier.
George Stroumboulopoulos does what he does well. But what he does, what he’s known and respected for, isn’t hosting sports programming.
That’s what Ron MacLean does – and he’s one of the best in the business. That’s why it’s a no brainer for Rogers to put MacLean back in the host chair for HNIC.
Canadian millennials know and love Strombo for his time as Much Music host over a decade ago, as well as his CBC show The Hour.
Joe Warmington points out Strombo’s a strong broadcaster and interviewer and deserves another big gig somewhere. But he just wasn’t the right fit for Canada’s marquee hockey program.
Back in 2014, when MacLean was first taken out of the chair in favour of Strombo, our readers poll showed 84% of respondents thought the switch was a bad idea. Hockey ratings meanwhile plummeted post-MacLean - although in fairness the reasons also included the absence of Canadian teams in this year’s playoffs.
When most Canadians think of hockey on the small screen, Don Cherry is the first person who comes to mind. He’s the brand. And Strombo’s the opposite of that brand. Can you imagine those two on Coach’s Corner together? Talk about the odd couple!
The word on the street is that sports programming execs told Strombo that he had to change his style. His urban hipster fashion wasn’t resonating with viewers.
Strombo reportedly didn't see the need for a do over. He wouldn’t budge. Kind of ironic, no? Here’s the supposedly young, trendy guy essentially saying you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
As it stands, the word isn’t official. Ron McLean says the deal is still up in the air. But it looks like the switch is going to happen in time for next season. The fans are already applauding the decision online and on the talk circuit.
Strombo, who’s passionate about hockey and a diehard Habs fan, was given a chance few broadcasters in this country get – to sit in the big HNIC chair. It was a great opportunity and there will no doubt be others in his future.
HNIC returns to its roots | EDITORIAL | Editorial | Opinion | Toronto Sun