Despite having one of the best media gigs in hockey, broadcasting nationally alongside Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and Pierre McGuire on NBC and Pat Foley for CSN Chicago’s regional Blackhawks broadcasts, Eddie Olczyk has not exactly made a secret of his desire to return to a head coaching position in the NHL, and there are some rumours swirling that Carolina might be the ones to snare Olczyk, after the Hurricanes fired Kirk Muller earlier this week.
If Olczyk leaves, there is an open slot atop the NBC Sports hockey broadcast tree: a great position to work alongside the Hall of Fame broadcaster Emrick, and struggle to get a word in edgeways between Pierre’s junior hockey mentions and often pointless chatter from between the benches.
The big question is, who gets the gig if ‘Edzo’ departs? Here are my shortlist candidates:
1. Brian Engblom: Already broadcasts between the benches for NBC, one half of an excellent duo, with play-by-play man Dave Strader, who is already the recognised and undisputed #2 team for the peacock network.
Easy to see Engblom stepping up into the top spot.
2. Darryl Reaugh: One half of another successful broadcast team, this one on a regional level for the Dallas Stars. His offsider for years in Big D has been Ralph Strangis, and they are a wonderful combination, working both radio and TV.
Reaugh did some work with Versus back in the day, and occasionally picks up an NBC game, but his talent – and quirky sense of humour – is wasted by not having a regular national job. He and Doc Emrick together would be a delight.
3. Mike Milbury: a lightning rod for controversy in hockey, you either love him or hate him, and it’s clear that NBC are in the former category, for Milbury is the centrepiece of their in-studio team.
Perhaps Milbury’s penchant for saying outlandish, dumb and insensitive things on a fairly regular basis take him out of the running to replace Olczyk, but if he ended up in the box, it certainly wouldn’t be boring!
4. Brian Haywood: Who? I hear you ask. The Anaheim Ducks analyst, a former goalie, might be the NHL’s best kept television secret.
We’re seeing a little more of him during the current Western Conference series between Anaheim and the Kings. Obviously NBC have him on their radar. He’d be a left-field choice, but a solid one, especially as more games from the west appear on national television.
5. Ray Ferraro: The wife of celebrated female hockey player Cammi Granato, Ferraro works for TSN in Canada now, after some studio work last decade with NBC and is as knowledgeable an analyst as there is in the game.
Ferraro can also break down play like few others, making it simple to even the newest fan. Next season, TSN is losing the NHL rights to Rogers SportsNet, which means Ferraro may be out of work. Going over to NBC would be a nice fit. Not a step up or down, a step across.
6. No one: Yep, you read correctly, and it’s perhaps the most likely to happen. The Emrick-Olczyk-McGuire combination is the only three-man booth working games for the NBC Sports Network. Every other commentary tandem, from Strader-Engblom through the ones put together for playoff duty, are two-man crews. It’s what’s worked well for TSN, as well, and seems to be the trend.
If Olczyk departs, my bet is the Peacock won’t bring in a new Analyst. It’ll just be Doc and Pierre. Yes, hockey fans, more Pierre is a scary prospect.
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