Hockey fans will finally see the action return to the ice this week, as NBC Sports opens the floodgates to the NHL regular season on Wednesday with a double header pitting the Blackhawks/Rangers at 8p and Kings/Sharks at 10:30p. Last season marked the second-most watched Stanley Cup Final on record, and the third-most watched NHL postseason in the last 18 years. As the league prepares to maintain momentum, it is also mulling the future of the sport with new rules and expansion possibilities making headlines.
Cynopsis Sports chatted with former player/coach/Olympian and current NBC Sports commentator Eddie Olczyk about the upcoming season, the state of the sport, NHL players in the Olympics and whether the NHL should pull the trigger on new teams.
Olczyk on preparing for the season: There’s always something going on in the offseason: movement, free agency, draft picks, etc. So, I hit the season just trying to get the lay of the land on what’s been done. For me, I’m trying to get on top of who’s done what and early in the season is always the toughest because you haven’t seen full lineups or the line combinations and rotations. The first couple of weeks always have a lot more going on than in mid-February because you want to make sure you are seeing everybody. I’m trying to concentrate now on my first couple of games, which involve both New York teams. My VCR will get a workout! Needless to say, this is one of the more chaotic times of the season.
On favorite venues to broadcast: Selfishly, it is always about vantage point and where we are positioned. In Pittsburgh we are positioned right at center ice about 30 rows from the rink and that’s an incredible position because we are right there. The Rangers have improved their broadcast position a lot. There are some that are far away and you don’t have much choice so you do that best you can even though you sometimes call the wrong number or the wrong name. But I think that most teams appreciate the position that the broadcasters are in and try to help them because at the end of the day you are a three hour commercial for their brand and for the game and we want to do the best job we can.
On the growth of hockey: The NHL has taken great pride in how they are marketing the game and how the game is being played. I think there are still areas that they could improve on, but everyone has an opinion. But I think that the product on the ice helps sell the game. We live in a fast food society, we want it, we see it, you want to try it, and you buy it. I think that hockey is the same way where if you make them want to be there, they will then want to play it. Hockey has the toughness of football, it has the skill and grace of basketball, it’s got the hand-eye coordination of baseball. It’s got everything you want. I think there is room to improve but it’s come a long way in a short period of time.
On NHL players in the Olympics: Is it good for the NHL? Is it good for the business to shut down for three-plus weeks in the middle of the season. That’s something only they can answer because it’s a business decision and that’s all it is. End of story. I played in the Olympics in ’84 for Team USA. I’ve always felt that the Olympics are for amateurs, but that’s changed and I understand that things change. It evolves and I understand, and if I had the chance to play in the Olympics as a pro, I absolutely would have done it. Is it fair for the athlete to travel? It’s one thing when it is in Vancouver or Salt Lake City, but when you have to travel halfway around the world for the next Olympics, I’m not sure.
On league expansion: My guess as to what ends up happening is that at some point, you get to the last places where you can take a team. There are so many places now that are legitimately viable and I trust the league in this decision. Could you get another team in Canada? Absolutely! Could you get another team outside Toronto? I would say that you, for sure, could and make it successful. As for the States, where else could you go that you haven’t been yet? Could you go to Seattle or Portland or Kansas City or Milwaukee? Personally, I think that Vegas would be a great place to go regardless of expansion or relocation because eventually you are going to have major sports in Vegas so why not be the first team? I think it would be outstanding there. People don’t realize that hockey is pretty popular in Las Vegas.
On horse racing: I’ve been a horse racing guy my whole life. I actually got my start in television in horse racing during the work stoppage back in 1994. I had won the Stanley Cup with the Rangers and the people at the Meadowlands racetrack were big Rangers fans and the people at the track asked me to be part of the race analysis team. 20 years later, it came full circle when my boss, Sam Flood at NBC, asked me if I wanted to be a part of their broadcasts. I had been trying to become a part of that coverage for five years at NBC but nothing really happened and when Sam gave me a shot. The racing team at NBC is nothing but class. There is some great leadership and great people on the show. To be on the Triple Crown for the first time this year and see what American Pharoah did was an incredible rush.
