Hockey Broadcaster Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick Retires
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NY Times Hockey
Emrick, NBC’s lead play-by-play voice known for his myriad ways to describe puck movement, had called N.H.L. games for 40 seasons. When the N.H.L. begins its next season, absent for the first time in four decades will be the man perhaps more associated with the league than any player, coach or official: the broadcaster Mike Emrick — known universally by his nickname, Doc. Emrick, 74, who this year called the Stanley Cup finals for the 22nd time, announced his retirement on Monday. In your mid-70s, you realize that you have had a very healthy and long run, except for the cancer scare, and you are looking outside and seeing this to be the autumn of your years,” he said on a conference call with reporters on Monday.
Emrick ascended to the top of his profession, jockeying with Canadian-born greats like Bob Cole and Dan Kelly in the pantheon of hockey’s play-by-play announcers.
His default register conveyed a sense of ecstasy to be watching hockey, even as he called nearly 4,000 games, from playoff nail-biters to throwaway games in December.
He has broadcast 47 seasons of professional hockey, including 40 in the N.H.L. He called 45 Game 7s in the playoffs.
Emrick’s retirement could be just the beginning in seismic changes to how hockey is shown in the United States.
Emrick ascended to the top of his profession, jockeying with Canadian-born greats like Bob Cole and Dan Kelly in the pantheon of hockey’s play-by-play announcers.
His default register conveyed a sense of ecstasy to be watching hockey, even as he called nearly 4,000 games, from playoff nail-biters to throwaway games in December.
He has broadcast 47 seasons of professional hockey, including 40 in the N.H.L. He called 45 Game 7s in the playoffs.
Emrick’s retirement could be just the beginning in seismic changes to how hockey is shown in the United States.