Bluelines: Mike Emrick Adjusts to Life Away from Play-By-Play

A YEAR’S END SEXTET OF SOBERING THOUGHTS

1. Tampa Bay’s 2-1 win over the Rangers last night is evidence that Andrei Vasilevskiy is a better Vezina candidate than Igor Shesterkin.

2. Buffalo is not fooling around. Kyle Okposo’s hat trick in last night’s 6-3 rout of Detroit is just a part of the Sabres Surge. Add Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s goaltending to their recent success.

3. With little fuss or fanfare, the Coyotes are playing serious hockey. The 6-3 win over Toronto last night moves Arizona only three wins under .500 (13-16-5). Not too bad.

4. One definition of “utility player” can be found in a name – Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He scored a goal, won faceoffs and more while leading the Islanders to a 2-1 win over the Blue Jackets.

5. Biggest all-NHL disappointments: Columbus was projected fourth in the Metro Division in The Hockey News Yearbook but now sits in the subterranean depths.

6. I’ve been carefully studying the Canadian Constitution to see if anything says it’s morally wrong to write anything critical of Edmonton’s St. McDavid.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DOC EMRICK (PART 1)

Considered by many critics to be the world’s best play-by-play announcer, Mike Emrick took time out to express several views – personal and otherwise – on hockey topics with our Irad Chen. The themes and Doc’s answers follow:

ADJUSTING TO LIFE AWAY FROM PLAY-BY-PLAY

“I’ve enjoyed it! My wife – understanding all those years when we would make occasional trips together – but be a part of some during the season – has been most understanding about having me here all the time for two-and-a-half years. Now we are having good times doing things together. In that, I’ve been able to sprinkle in some work along with it. 

“NBC has kept me busy with monthly video essays on general sports. For example, for the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving, I did an essay comparing show dogs to regular family dogs. Now, I’m doing a feature on college hockey and one on old college rinks and that gave me the opportunity to interview (former NHLers) Red Berenson and Dave Poulin. So those are fun things for me to do in addition to just enjoying life with Joyce and our dog.”

WATCHING HOCKEY EVERY WEEK

“I tend to watch teams that interest me. This year I watched Detroit, not only because they are close by but because they have improved. Lately, I follow Pittsburgh because I wanted to see the return of (Kris) Letang who has been just as feisty as he had been, and I have no idea how he is not getting penalized for some of his plays. I also watch Boston because I have no grasp on how they only have so few regulation losses. I would have never targeted that team considering all the off-season surgeries the team endured. Jim Montgomery has done a terrific job there.”

WHAT DOC MISSES MOST

“Near the end of my career, the thing that I missed the most was being able to sit next to a player after the pack had left (the morning skate) and asking a few extra questions and learning something I could use on air that night. Then, during the 2020 Bubble playoffs, everything was done ‘virtually.’ That meant that I didn’t have an opportunity to get anything new that I didn’t already have about a player that I’d have gotten from prior side-by-side chats or interviews.”

THE MOST ENJOYABLE ASPECT OF HIS WORK

“The thing I liked the most was getting to chat with players and coaches. Talking with them about things from earlier years in their lives that they would not normally be asked. So, to ask them a question like – ‘Where did you step on the ice with a stick in your hand for the first time,’ and, ‘How old were you?’ – Immediately. you’d see a smile on their faces. Then they would tell you more about that and you’d learn more about them. Maybe I wouldn’t use it that night, but I would use it at some point.”

ONE OF MIKE’S FAVORITE STORIES

“The day before the Winter Classic down at the Cotton Bowl, after the Dallas’ team practice, one of the equipment guys says to me: ‘Did you ever hear about Radek Faksa’s childhood in Czech Republic?’ 

“So, I went to the dressing room to talk with him, and he tells me this unbelievable story: His (Faksa’s) mom was a single parent and was not wealthy at all, but he had enormous talent for hockey and a team that was about 50 miles away realized that he was very talented when he was only eight years old. The team felt he could benefit by playing for a better team 50 miles away. The team was owned by a guy with connections to a hotel, so they spoke with him and his mother about him going away from home. 

“They would have him stay at the hotel by himself. He did that for four years. He would get himself to school and to practice, all this by the age of eight. Then he ended up going to junior hockey in Ontario and eventually was drafted in the first round by the Stars. So, after knowing this kind of story you would look differently at him. And those kinds of stories are what I miss the most.”

HOW EMRICK PREPARED FOR A GAME

“We were given about 40 pages of game notes by each team and another 40 pages of game notes by the league, so when there’s a goal scored you can’t go through all of that and find the stats of the player who scored. So, what I would do is get the fresh notes the night before and go through them and sum the stats up on my own cards.

“On the reverse side of my cards, I would write each team’s roster in numerical order, and I’ll write short notes on each player, whether it’s from league notes or my biographical stuff that I had. You never know what the odds are that you’d need that. Because you’re working with two other people, one beside you and one inside the glass and that was their job, but I was always prepared for that rare instance when you’d need it, like before a faceoff, or if it happened to fit in at some point. 

“Another essential thing for me was to get to the morning skates because that’s when you learn something from the players and coaches. Getting ready for a game was fun for me, I liked it.”

(NEXT MONDAY, PART 2: It’s all about Doc’s best calls, Sidney Crosby’s greatness and much more.)

ALTHOUGH THE DEVILS ARE LOSING, OPTIMISM FROM THE NEW JERSEY CAMP

Our man in Newark, George Falkowski, says not to worry about the Devils’ slump – they’ve lost eight of nine – they’ll recover. Listen up. See if you agree:

Upon further review, two things are apparent when one considers the Devils. The first is that when they get great scoring chances, they occasionally score. But when a top team like the Bruins gets a great scoring chance, they bury it. Patrice Bergeron did it late in the third period in a 3-1 Bruins win Wednesday night.

Unlike past years, this New Jersey team never rolls over, and that’s a solid sign. Before the holiday break, they missed John Marino and Ryan Graves on defense. A returning and healthy Ondrej Palat will only help.

Coach Lindy Ruff has a club coming of age but still learning what it takes to win and be consistent on a nightly basis. The early-season 13-game winning streak was a magnificent fluke, and the six-game losing streak was a combination of breaks going the other way and the team making the small mistakes that cost you hockey games. No question, though, the current 1-7-1 mark in the last nine games is cause for concern.

That explains why the earlier winning streak built up a much-needed huge stockpile of points. They may not need another such streak to make the playoffs. But if they don’t start winning again, an SOS will be in order. Playing good hockey and winning a few more than they lose should turn the trick.

Heading into the New Year, they must win three or four in a row to regain the swagger that carried them through October and November.

Some critics are clamoring for a trade, but that will be tricky since, for the first time in ages, they have salary cap issues. A good scoring winger for Jack Hughes would be a nifty gift in the home stretch.

We have a young, talented, and blossoming team that’s still trying to find its way. And that is so much better than what we’ve seen over the last decade – except for 2018.

I’M JUST SAYIN’

* Connor Bedard is getting the same kind of raves Shane Wright got a year ago.

* Despite the fuss and fanfare, Wright couldn’t even make the Kraken varsity in October.

* The Battle of Alberta is shaping up as an intra-province war for a playoff berth.

* Edmonton’s 2-1 win over Calgary could be a sign of things to come.

* The word panic has become the most overused word employed by the media whenever a loser drops its third straight game.

* If Vancouver does what I think Jim Rutherford should not do, then the very best rental player this year will be Bo Horvat.

* I’d keep Bo because this guy still could help Vancouver somehow make the playoffs.

* Finally! Quinn Hughes scored his first of the season Tuesday night against the Sharks.

* What beats me is why it took all of 33 games for this gifted one to flash the red light.

* The latest ridiculously overused word – along with “process” and “structure” – is “details.” So, tell me, brothers and sisters, what the heck does it mean?

* I kid you not. Right now, Anaheim’s John Gibson is my choice for the NHL’s best goalie.

* Did you see his 49-save effort versus Vegas on Wednesday night? Fantastic!

* Kukla’s Korner – for the umpteenth year – remains one of my fave hockey reads every day.

* Gerard Gallant benched Alex Lafreniere last night. “I want him to be better,” said the Rangers coach.

* Hot news for Gallant: There’s no way ‘Big Al’ can score from the press box.

Has anyone figured that Lafreniere’s stunted development problem just might be his coach? (Maybe ‘Big Al’ should say, “I want him to be better.")

* Jack Campbell recently worked in new, stiffer goalie pads and a bigger chest protector, according to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector. Vezina Trophy, here we come!

HOW SEATTLE CAN REACH THE CUP FINAL

Based in Krakenland, our Glenn Dreyfuss suggests something that would have been unheard of at this season’s start.

The second-year Seattle Kraken are proof of French writer Alexandre Dumas’ famous line, “Nothing succeeds like success.”

Overcoming a slow start and bolstered by a surprisingly strong offense, the Kraken now skate with authority – expecting to win rather than hoping to win. Unfortunately, they hit a pothole called Calgary on Wednesday night and lost 3-2.

That said, could Seattle not only reach the playoffs but make noise once there? Their .606 winning percentage is 11th best, and they’ve already beaten three of the teams above them. In pressure situations, they’ve won four of their last five overtime games and hold a .667 percentage on the road.

Their stout offense, No. 6 in the league for goals-for per game, includes four 10-plus goal scorers (Jared McCann, Matty Beniers, Daniel Sprong, and Andre Burakovsky). The team has also been healthy, needing to dress just 22 skaters so far this season.

For the Kraken to harbor championship dreams, the power play (20th), penalty kill (31st), and faceoff percentage (31st) need to be much better. And while goalies Philipp Grubauer and Martin Jones have upped their games, both still must improve save percentages, currently in the .880s.

Then again, as Vegas proved not that long ago, you never know.

DIDJA KNOW? 

Islanders’ dynasty-builder Bill Torrey was known as ‘Bow Tie Bill’ for a reason. The GM explained that his grandfather – a shoe repairman in Rockland, Mass. – was responsible.

“My granddad told me that the long, straight ties kept getting in the way of his work, so he wore bow ties instead,” Torrey explained. “That fascinated me, and I asked him to teach me how to make one.”

“He did and since then, I always carried a bow tie with me in case there was a meeting where ties had to be worn. Throughout my life, bow ties were the only ties I ever wore.”

BIG QUESTION: Does Connor Bedard’s laser shot mean he’s NHL-ready?

BIG ANSWER: The Bedard fan club may think so, but the answer will remain ‘no’ if Canada fails to win the world juniors.

THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS:

TUESDAY: By soundly beating the Rangers, the Capitals continued to ride the Ovie Wave. That made it 10 wins in their last 11 games.

WEDNESDAY: Boston – 3-1 over New Jersey – remains in the stratosphere while the Devils continue to tailspin back to the Metro pack.

THURSDAY: The surging Kings deserve more love. Taking out Vegas last night puts them just an exhale away from first place.

FRIDAY: Tonight’s game to watch is the Devils at Penguins. Two good slumpers are trying to get back on track.

LOOKING BACK AT THE FIRST CANADA-RUSSIA HOCKEY WAR

The recent 50th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series was celebrated across Canada. But as our Glenn Dreyfuss explains in a three-part report, the first eight-game series between Russian and Canadian teams took place 15 years earlier. In its own way, it was just as fascinating. Glenn tells why:

In 1957, the Russians launched the Sputnik satellite, escalating the space race and Cold War tensions. That same month, the Russians launched a hockey team to Canada, the first time a Moscow squad would compete on Canadian soil.

Because the plane carrying the players was denied entry to U.S. airspace, the flight landed in far-flung Gander, Nfld. Eleven hours after disembarking, the Russian team was practising at a nearby rink. In a true demonstration of Canadian capitalism, the practice was opened to local fans, who were charged a fee to watch.

The OHA senior league Whitby Dunlops played host to the Moscow Selects for the historic first game on Nov. 22, 1957. Curiosity ran so high, more than 14,000 tickets at Maple Leaf Gardens were snapped up in just over an hour. Bob Hesketh wrote in the game program, “It will be surprising to a lot of people tonight to discover that Russian hockey players have one head and the usual complement of arms, legs, and fingers.”

The Soviets, who had taken up the ice sport barely a decade earlier, deposited two pucks inside the Whitby net in the first two minutes. Despite playing under European rules – no bodychecking in the offensive half of the ice and no icing on penalty kills – Whitby rallied with five first-period goals and cruised to a 7-2 victory. On the telecast, Foster Hewitt gushed, “It’s been one of the most exciting games perhaps for a long time to come, clean as a whip and full of action all the way.”

A banner headline in The Hockey News declared, “Soviet Tour Early success,” adding, “Reds Draw Capacity Audiences.” A Blackhawks scout – foreshadowing bravado about Canadian dominance in ’72 – predicted the Russian squad wouldn’t win a game on their tour. The ‘Puckniks,’ as THN dubbed them, actually compiled a 5-1-2 record against senior league teams on their tour.

In Part 2, Glenn will tell the remarkable story of the Whitby goaltender, who wasn’t a member of the Dunlops team and wasn’t Canadian, yet he managed to play.

IRAD CHEN ON THE NCAA IN WORLD JUNIORS

Forty-one current, committed and former NCAA Div. I men’s hockey players are competing in the 2023 World Junior Championship.

Michigan leads with six players, followed by Minnesota’s five and three each from Massachusetts and St. Cloud State. Nine schools boast multiple players on tournament rosters. The United States have 23 NCAA representatives, and behind them are Latvia, with 10 representatives.

Among the participants are New Jersey Devils' top prospect and American captain Luke Hughes as well as Arizona’s 2022 third-overall pick Logan Cooley and projected No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL draft, Adam Fantilli.

WHO SAID IT? “I told him not to worry. I brush my teeth every day.” (ANSWER BELOW)

YAY AND BOOS:

YAY TO PETER RUTTGAIZER. My old buddy from MSG Networks telecasts is the new play-by-play voice of the Montreal Canadiens on TSN 690. ‘Pistol Pete’ is one of the best, and I’m tickled that he got the Habs gig.

BOO TO HOCKEY FIGHTERS who insist on grabbing a foe’s jersey rather than

just swinging away. Sweater-grabbing should be declared illegal.

YAY TO ALEKSANDER BARKOV. After missing three games – all Cats losses – with a knee injury, he returned last night with a three-goal, five-point game against the Habs.

YAY TO ALAN GREENBERG, our Florida reporter for a wonderful line:

“The Panthers without Barkov are like bagels without cream cheese.”

YAY TO MARTY ST-LOUIS for staying positive despite losses due to an inexperienced defense. “It’s growing pains,” said coach Marty, “learning from

mistakes and moving forward.”

A QUESTION COACHES NEVER SEEM TO KNOW HOW TO ANSWER

Last Tuesday night, the Penguins were soundly trounced by the Islanders. That same evening, the Rangers were mauled by the Capitals. After each game, the respective losing coaches – the Penguins’ Mike Sullivan and the Rangers’ Gerard Gallant – moaned the same old boushwah: Their teams weren’t ready.

But Sully and Turk have been around long enough to be able to figure out when their darlings aren’t ready – and to do something about it before the game starts. That’s why these guys are getting the big dough. No?

ANSWER TO WHO SAID IT?: Esa Tikkanen of the Oilers said it when he was shadowing Boston’s Craig Janney during the 1993 playoffs.