What was old is new again: Ron MacLean never thought he'd be back as host of Hockey Night in Canada
THE CANADIAN PRESS
First posted: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 11:58 AM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, October 12, 2016 12:59 PM EDT
Ron MacLean likely isn’t on Strombo’s Christmas card list.
Or vice versa.
MacLean, who was returned to his position as host of Hockey Night in Canada after two years in a lesser role, confirmed to the Canadian Press that he didn’t have much of a relationship with his HNIC replacement, George Stroumboulopoulos.
The two, MacLean said, never clicked as friends despite sharing a common interest in hockey.
“It was always a bit quiet on that front, MacLean said. “I don’t think there was ever a relationship built.”
MacLean told CP that he sent Stroumboulopoulos a text message after hearing he’d been let go by HNIC and “never heard back.”
Sportsnet president Scott Moore, who tabbed Stroumboulopoulos for the host role with HNIC, agreed with MacLean’s assessment.
“The connection just wasn’t there — certainly not for lack of trying,” Moore told CP.
With Stroumboulopoulos at the helm, HNIC ratings have slid over the last two seasons. Ratings were historically low during the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, in part because no Canadian teams qualified.
But Sportsnet expects ratings to climb with MacLean fronting the show again. He held the job for 30 years before giving way to Stroumboulopoulos, a face Sportsnet thought would help attract a younger audience.
When the change was made two years ago — in addition to his gig with Don Cherry, MacLean was shifted to Sunday night’s Hometown Hockey — it caused a not insignificant stir.
“You understand the fuss because you’ve been on ’Hockey Night in Canada’ for 30 years,” MacLean said, “but I just fell into a show where everyone was so nice. It was a godsend. I feel like that show was the guardian angel that rescued me.”
Of course, MacLean is happy to be back in his familiar chair, which he will occupy while continuing with his HomeTown Hockey job. After all, he never expected to be back hosting HNIC.
“Of course not,” he said. “If anything, I had almost put in my head the idea that it’s going to be time to look for something outside of the hockey arena. The one thing I was grateful for was there was never a moment of, ’How could they do this to me?’ I never felt that emotion once. I just felt like at my age it made sense that you were going to be part of changes.”
— with a file from Postmedia Network
What was old is new again: Ron MacLean never thought he'd be back as host of Hoc
