Eric Duhatschek Retires

[Locke]

Thank You Sir.

[Badmotorfinger]

I grew up reading his work and always appreciated his articles on the Flames, and hockey in general. As a former journalist, I know writing for a living is much harder than it looks, and his work was always top notch.

Happy retirement Eric!

[bdubbs]

Simply the best.

Enjoy retirement, Eric!

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by troutman

He was roommates with music critic James Muretich. I would love to hear those stories.

Duhatschek did a long article a year or two ago in the Athletic about his love of music, and his alternate timeline career as a music critic. It included stories about Muretich and their days as roommates, and how whenever they threw a party they’d spend hours in the leadup making carefully crafted mix tapes.

They always came across as very different dudes - Muretich with his cut-offs, cowboy boots, wife-beater, and earings, always with a drink and smoke in hand, while Duhatschek is quite straightlaced. But I guess a shared love of music and journalism can form a strong bond.

[SutterBrother]

Don't have enough good things to say. Spent my whole life reading his work, and it set a standard few could ever reach.

I highly recommend "King of Russia" as a fantastic book.

I'll miss his writing terribly, but his retirement is well earned.

[albertGQ]

As someone in his mid 40's, I also grew up reading Eric's work. I think he wrote for the Globe and Mail too? I would always grab the sports section and read his articles

He was must see TV as well as part of the Satellite Hotstove. I rarely watched the first game in HNIC (yuck Leafs), but would always record the first and second intermission for Grapes and Satellite Hotstove

[GullFoss]

Eric is one of the best. All the best in retirement to him. Not only a great reporter and writer, but clearly a man who acted with grace and treated people with respect. The hockey world will miss him dearly.

He was a total G

[drewtastic]

Interviewed him at the Herald building for a project on Sports Journalism in GR 9 (1992 ).
He was so gracious that he even came to the school to be a “judge” for our presentation day.

One of the best ever. Will be missed but very happy for him!

[cral12]

Some kinda good human and sports journalist, as well as storyteller.

[iamca]

Respect.

Tons of respect for Duha.

Eric was friends with my dad, and he always treated me like a real person instead of a little kid (even back in the day when I was a kid).

Duha was an expert at his craft and I think he could write assembly instructions for a piece of IKEA furniture and he would make it interesting.

Love ya bruddha, enjoy your well deserved retirement!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dino7c]

Thought he retired years ago...enjoyed reading him in the paper when that was a thing

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

He was the reason why I made my parents get a Herald subscription instead of the Sun. Eric's D is better than daily Sunshine Girls!

Wait what

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Nothing new to add but because I hope he reads this.
I Had the hockey news delivered to my house because he and some others made it awesome. He had a thing where it could be about the league and yet made the flames seem a really big part of it.
Just grateful

[jayswin]

Grew up in the 2000's following the Flames and always felt like we had the best in the business writing about our team. No tricks, no baiting, no sensationalism. Just pure, quality writing. We were so lucky.

[Ryan Coke]

I just checked Wikipedia to find out when he started, and it says that he started covering the Calgary flames for the herald in 1978. I mean he’s a legend, started covering the team 2 years before they arrived from Atlanta.

But it verified that I’ve been reading his flames stuff forever in Flames terms. There has never been a Calgary Flames game that Eric hasn’t been part of the media, pretty crazy.

As everyone else says, just all quality and class. Glad I never had to see him making a shocked face YouTube thumbnail with the title “craziest game ever?!?” to try to get clicks.

Enjoy retirement!

[D as in David]

I considered him one of the best sports reporters even before moving to Calgary in the mid-90s and becoming a Flames fan. Truly the best in my lifetime.

[Freeway]

Whoever said "don't meet your heroes" obviously had never met Eric Duhatschek.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Duhatschek did a long article a year or two ago in the Athletic about his love of music, and his alternate timeline career as a music critic. It included stories about Muretich and their days as roommates, and how whenever they threw a party they’d spend hours in the leadup making carefully crafted mix tapes.

They always came across as very different dudes - Muretich with his cut-offs, cowboy boots, wife-beater, and earings, always with a drink and smoke in hand, while Duhatschek is quite straightlaced. But I guess a shared love of music and journalism can form a strong bond.

He is a huge Springsteen fan - Bruce is in Calgary next Saturday.

[Barnet Flame]

I’ve spent what feels like my whole life, reading Eric Duhatschek. As a Herald paperboy back in the 80s, as soon as I got home, I’d go straight to the sports section and to his column. He never wrote to make you feel rage, he never wrote like a fanboy, but what he wrote was insightful and was essential reading - you often learned something.

That is such a rare thing and living with it all your life, it is easy to take for granted.

I hope Eric is reading this thread. I hope even more that he has a long and happy retirement.

[LowellK21]

Always really enjoyed Eric's writing style and the way he'd frame the stories he'd tell. Was great on HNIC and on the Fan960 - especially when it was him and Al Morganti together. The host (usually Kerr) would just let them go and it was fantastic.

I'd put Duhatschek right up there beside Stephen Brunt when it comes to Canada's great sports writers/story tellers. Enjoy retirement!