The numbers are in for HNIC, and they aren’t too pretty as far as the Oilers are concerned. According to the Globe and mail, 409,000 viewers tuned in for the Oilers – LA Kings late game this past Saturday night. As the Globe notes, this likely could be attributed to the World Series being shown that night. More accurately, it could be due to the fact that the Oilers were one of the teams “competing” in this game. It’s not too often that a team’s go-to defenseman is Steve Staois. Ouch. It could be a long season Mac-T and friends. Or maybe this late game drew so poorly simply because P.J. Stock was conducting studio analysis along with Ron and Sean Burke. Burke was actually quite good, making some interesting points of how as a former goalie, he never judged his teammates by their salaries and only focussed on what they bring to the table each and every game. Stock on the other hand was so incoherent that he must have been on some kind of hallucinogen. I’m pretty sure there is an ECHL team out there that can use 7 assists and 150 PIMS for their team this season. As if the Wheeling Nailers can’t use him. Please take him off our hands.
Finally, William Houston has written an excellent article about the one and only Bob Cole that I suggest everyone check out for a good laugh. Apparently, Ralph Mellanby has some dirt on the legendary broadcaster in his new book. Mellanby is of course the former executive director of HNIC (and father of Scott Mellanby). In 1987, Mellanby fired Dave Hodge for throwing his pen up in the air, while on camera no less, in protest that the CBC wouldn’t cut to an in-progress playoff OT game instead of The National. Dave Hodge is officially my idol. Mellanby’s book supposedly details how Bob Cole once actually said “don’t ever touch me again” to John Davidson in the broadcast booth years ago. If that can’t convince you to check out this article and buy Mellanby’s book, I don’t know what will. Caution: the co-author for Mellanby’s HNIC book is the one and only Mike Brophy. If you have seen Brophy’s work on Sportsnet you’ll know what I’m talking about. He has made Nick Kypreos look like a Rhodes Scholar in past broadcasts. And yes, this is the same Kypreos who made that racist Vincent Lecavalier – Michael Jordan remark years ago.
