HNIC Panel Insights

[dustygoon]

I miss the HNIC panel in the US which is a bummer.

But I found a little hack for those down here: ESPN+ will offer the Canadian feed when you watch a replay on demand of a game. I just fast forward to the intermissions to hear them.

[calumniate]

Funny to think about what Don Cherry would be saying right now if he still had his segment

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Funny to think about what Don Cherry would be saying right now if he still had his segment

I'd like to think something along the lines of that players need to lay out the golden boys like McDavid, and that the game has gotten soft as well as the officiating.

A lot of statements around "let them play", and dumping on this right of way nonsense.

Hopefully also outing his old pet Ron as an Oiler teat-suckling pansy.

[Russic]

Bieksa is a fantastic blend of humour, understanding, and ego. He always tag-teams with a former player to dump on Elliot, which I find endlessly entertaining. And it's never justified, just a quick "Cassie, here's something I know you noticed but Elliot wouldn't have..." it makes me laugh every time.

He's even clever to the point he can joke about the Flames and I laugh. I still remember when we were getting hammered in the lockdown playoff against Dallas and we stopped one of their breakaways... "It's a good thing Calgary stopped that or this thing could've gotten away from them". The perfect delivery made me laugh and hate him at the same time.

[Locke]

Whenever Bieksa annoys me too much I pull up AC's Michael Ferland highlight video...

Watching Bieksa get rocked into the 3rd row generally does the trick.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I'd like to think something along the lines of that players need to lay out the golden boys like McDavid, and that the game has gotten soft as well as the officiating.

A lot of statements around "let them play", and dumping on this right of way nonsense.

Hopefully also outing his old pet Ron as an Oiler teat-suckling pansy.

Well, the game has become softer. I'm not saying we need to go back to the Billy Smith or McSorley days, but maybe a blend of some early 00s type toughness with late 00s levels of clutch and grab.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Russic

Bieksa is a fantastic blend of humour, understanding, and ego. He always tag-teams with a former player to dump on Elliot, which I find endlessly entertaining. And it's never justified, just a quick "Cassie, here's something I know you noticed but Elliot wouldn't have..." it makes me laugh every time.

He's even clever to the point he can joke about the Flames and I laugh. I still remember when we were getting hammered in the lockdown playoff against Dallas and we stopped one of their breakaways... "It's a good thing Calgary stopped that or this thing could've gotten away from them". The perfect delivery made me laugh and hate him at the same time.

I think it was the end of regulation intermission yesterday during the Colorado game where Bieksa joked that he wasn't listening to what Friedman had to say and he wanted to apologize in advance if he repeated what was just said. I thought that was awesome and it almost looked like Friedman was genuinely offended.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Well, the game has become softer. I'm not saying we need to go back to the Billy Smith or McSorley days, but maybe a blend of some early 00s type toughness with late 00s levels of clutch and grab.

Apart from the officiating the game has never been better.

Guy got kicked in the head with a skate and came back to play two days later. There's plenty of toughness in the current NHL.

[Buff]

Remember when Ron Maclean was let go from HNIC and Don Cherry made a huge stink about it and CBC heard from a lot of fans all across Canada so they reversed their decision.

Yeah, I wish we just kept quiet and let Ron Maclean move onto something else. I change the channel when he is on.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Friedman is a news/rumour guy, not an analyst.

Yup, more valuable in the regular season, and even then it makes more sense as a separate segment than breaking down current game highlights.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Buff

Remember when Ron Maclean was let go from HNIC and Don Cherry made a huge stink about it and CBC heard from a lot of fans all across Canada so they reversed their decision.

Yeah, I wish we just kept quiet and let Ron Maclean move onto something else. I change the channel when he is on.

Was this when Sportsnet got the rights and had Strombo as the host of HNiC?

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Was this when Sportsnet got the rights and had Strombo as the host of HNiC?

No this was in like 2004 when CBC was making cuts and also let Cuthbert go too. CBC anticipated a lockout and with no Olympics for a couple years likely didn't want to spend a lot of money on Sports. I think thats about the time that CFL also went to TSN exclusively, which meant less work for PBP guys. They offered McLean like half a million a year which he rejected, and they announced they were parting ways. But sponsors put some pressure on, and they ended up meeting Ron's demands.

As you note Sportsnet wanted to reduce Ron to doing less in studio stuff after Cherry was gone in favor of things like Hometwon hockey and hockey day in Canada. But much of that audience is past 60...and they want the guy they've always known.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

I have to say that I have been been really impressed with the panel this playoff

In particular, Bieksa is killing it and Lalonde has been tremendously insightful

I’ll give you an example from the Game 3 Leafs Lightning series. They were discussing the Tavares goal. Nylander had the puck. It looked like a simple shot on net to get a rebound that Tavares could bang in. Bieksa froze the play, showed Nylander’s options. He had an open lane to the point, and the Lightning had pretty good coverage of the lanes to the other players. Tavares did have position out front. You could see Nylander step out a bit, look at his options, and put it off the goalie’s pad for Tavares. It was a good decision and a skill play

Contrast to the panel on the network carrying the US series, with Biznasty, Weekes, Chelios and whomever. They basically gave the insight on the Tavares goal that it’s good to just get pucks on net. Great. Thanks

I am really appreciating the insight


They have had many other great analyses, noting an Edmonton forecheck where they unnecessarily sent a second forward in that essentially added no value and left the lane up the middle for the LA stretch winger (I think Fiala) to circle back


Lalonde yesterday outlining the Edmonton PP, working through a few of their set moves in sequence before scoring


Not to mention, yesterday Bieksa was spot on when Edmonton was down 3-0, saying they needed to press and draw a PP, then get an ES one and they were very much in it. Then for OT, he called Hyman.

Amber is doing ok in his role.

Does anyone else find that Elliotte is adding a lot less value right now, with two guys who are really keen and understand the game?


I think we are very fortunate, this panel has been nothing short of excellent

Is it just me? Can you think of any other analysts who have done this well on HNIC or other broadcasts?

Great stuff

If they are giving actual insight - it can be valuable. But the best NBA halftime/pre-game broadcast is TNT and like 50% of the time they don't even talk about the game.

[Teroy]

Some of us like and appreciate Ron McLean. Some of us recognize the talent of McDavid. I wonder how quickly you'd change your mind if we could get him? Some of us will cheer for the Oilers. Some of us don't care if you don't like any of them. Some of us think some of you should grow up.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Teroy

Some of us like and appreciate Ron McLean. Some of us recognize the talent of McDavid. I wonder how quickly you'd change your mind if we could get him? Some of us will cheer for the Oilers. Some of us don't care if you don't like any of them. Some of us think some of you should grow up.

What's the point of a sports rivalry if you are just going to cheer for them? They call it the BATTLE of Alberta for a reason.

[Teroy]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

What's the point of a sports rivalry if you are just going to cheer for them? They call it the BATTLE of Alberta for a reason.

What rivalry? The Flames are done. I suppose you'd rather cheer for a U.S. team or Toronto.

[AndyM]

Originally Posted by Teroy

What rivalry? The Flames are done. I suppose you'd rather cheer for a U.S. team or Toronto.

Yes.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Teroy

What rivalry? The Flames are done. I suppose you'd rather cheer for a U.S. team or Toronto.

Are you a Flames fan? I don't understand the question

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Teroy

What rivalry? The Flames are done. I suppose you'd rather cheer for a U.S. team

yes.

or Toronto.

NO.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Teroy

What rivalry? The Flames are done. I suppose you'd rather cheer for a U.S. team or Toronto.

The Rivalry endures forever. The Flames just got Provincial Money for the rink and Edmonton didn't. The latest skirmish in the ongoing Battle of Alberta.