NHL Headed Back to ESPN

On my drive home from work this afternoon while listening to the Sports Animal I was pleasantly shocked when Al Eschbach and his crew were talking the NHL coming back to ESPN after their fifteen year run on NBC.

This is where the NHL belongs as far as quality game telecasts.

I sat next to Al and his girlfriend at the Denver playoff game where Durant went for fifty-one points and the game winner. He bought me beer all night long. Great guy to watch a game with.

Anyway… Al was trying to remember the name of the play by play man who worked with Bill Clement back at ESPN.

The name is Gary Thorne…the best voice in play by play hockey I’ve ever heard.

Gary Thorne was doing play by play for the Baltimore Orioles from 2007 thru 2020. What a waste of a glorious voice.

Assuming their health is okay…I’m hopeful Gary Thorne and Bill Clement are both involved with ESPN’s coverage of the NHL.

Here we go. This is from March 25th, 2020. He looks pretty good to me. If you’re a hokey fan you’ll love this video.

I wonder how many Oklahomans realize Oklahoma City came in second to Columbus for that NHL franchise. That’s when the MAPS people kicked it in gear after not getting the NHL in Oklahma City.

In retrospect…I don’t think the NHL would sustain itself in Oklahoma. But who knows…the NBA might not as well.

I’ll be very curious to see how Thunder games are attended this coming season.

I currently don’t even have the Thunder in my Top 6 Oklahoma Sports storylines sheet in 2021 unless we see something from Josh Giddy and Poku which would energize the fanbase.

I’d go 1 OU football, 2 O State football, 3 OU and O State hoops combined, 4 the NBA as a whole excluding the Thunder because the league is absolutely going to be lit this season, 5 Big 12 basketball as a conference, 6 OU womens’ softball…then maybe the tanking Thunder at No. 7.

I plan on following at least eight NBA teams on my blog this season, but not the Thunder if they start tanking again.

If they don’t tank this season…then obviously I move them up just behind OU football.

Hopefully, more people in Oklahoma will start watching hockey again back on ESPN.

One thought on “NHL Headed Back to ESPN”

  1. HI,
    Just read your blogs for the last 10 days or so. I love your music and movie picks- absolutely inspired in many cases. I lose you on the nuts and bolts of OU and OSU football however I appreciate the overall view.
    The Seattle Kraken will be starting their hockey season in a few weeks in the renovated Climate Pledge Stadium near the Space Needle so about 2 miles from my house. You are always welcome; we require vaccination and masking (for now).
    Love,
    Jan

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