The thing that ESPN is missing is the man Gary Thorne. He’s the one responsible for these memorable calls, they might aswell get him back and see if Bill Clement would come back too. Imagine him back and making more iconic calls this coming playoffs
It’s disappointing that they keep forcing their own broadcasters on us. Maybe they weren’t interested in major roles because of their main jobs, but John Forslund or Kenny Albert should be the finals guy
I’ll just say this: say what we want about ESPN since well…… it’s ESPN. But I think rather we like it or not, the NHL’s deal with them along with TNT/TBS will overall help grow the league and the sport.
You're also comparing Gary Thorne to Sean McDonagh. No disrespect meant to McDonagh, but that's comparing a sweet and perfectly ripe apple to an irradiated, month old, moldy orange.
@@starkconplays The ESPN broadcast teams are objectively boring at best, irritating at worst (especially Leah Hextall; she isn't even half of who Kathryn Tappen is). TNT nailed it with their broadcast crews and studio analysts, which isn't all that surprising considering there were many carryovers from NBC.
Yes I agree. I am so happy it is back on ESPN. The theme music is so awesome and its coverage is great. Back then it was better, but their 2nd stint with NHL is still good. Would like to see them get Steve Levy as main play by play guy and bring back Gary Thorne. And put more games on regular ESPN instead of non linear plus which has the bulk of regular season game. Other than that have no complaints about 2nd go around.
Turner Sports does a great job at selling the NHL. ESPN does not. After a year and a half of this new TV deal, it is safe to say that TNT is miles ahead of ESPN broadcasts. For ESPN, hockey is #5 behind the NBA, NFL, MLB, and the UFC.
To me it feels like they bury it over everything else. Games get booted to their alternate channels all the time and it all just feels half assed. I will say that ESPN+ having all the games and the TNT broadcasts have been major major positives though
I disagree with this. I'm happy Hockey is back on ESPN. The broadcast group doesn't have to be perfect. Plus, I don't have to worry about watching a Nationally televised game that constant has Pittsburgh playing and hearing Pierre McGuire's obsession with Sidney Crosby.
Idk about all that. For instance pam ward has been a great college football announcer since like the year 2000. Im sure there’s a woman out there that could do great, I’m not fond of the ones they are using right now though. I really have liked Kevin weekes as the color guy. He seems like the kinda guy you’d love to grab a beer with. His love for hockey is so obvious in everything he says. He bleeds it for sure
i like espn in the sense that it covers more than just east coast teams. NBC was only covering games with teams featuring rangers,penguins,philly,capitals, bruins and islanders. heck they didnt even care about buffalo and NJ to docs dislike.
Let's be real, the NHL on ABC coverage was in a league of their own because of Gary Thorne. I like Sean McDonough and he'll be fine come playoff time, but let's keep it 100, no one is better than Gary Thorne.
Bob Cole … if you are to young and never get CBC outa Canada your never watched playoff hockey. This women and these boring story tellers from ESPN ruin it. Fastest sport and they talk and tell stories during the play. Lmao horrible
@@mikemichaels6753 No doubt about Bob Cole. I don't live in Canada but ik he's an icon. I go with Gary Thorne mainly bc he was the first USA NHL PXP I grew up with. Of course the first clip of this video is also another reason y
Comparing ESPN hockey then vs now. Is like comparing Mario Lemieux to a rookie. Give them a chance first, like in the playoffs, and if they’re bad in the playoffs, then you can make a vid like this.
Well, now that we’ve seen what McDonough has done through the playoffs, safe to say ESPN needs a new lead play by play. Bob Wischusen should lead at least. No enthusiasm from McDonough and seems a step behind. He doesn’t even make it feel like a big game and I sure would not keep tuning in if it was my first game watching. He’s good for other sports but not for hockey IMO.
Sooo a couple things here. Yep ESPN is absolutely NOT helping the promotion of hockey, they are taking it the other direction IMO. Play by play people aren’t even qualified anymore. “Hey she is a woman, played hockey, and she needs a job, full send”. Just a disaster honestly. Buuut in fairness the Gary Thornes and Bill Clements just don’t exist anymore. And for some reason Gary Thorne does play by play for the most boring sport now. In perhaps the city with the worst baseball team since he has literally arrived.
agree with the first part. ESPN is, in essence, suffocating the popularity of hockey. They have the rights and ability to spread word of the game, but actively choose not to. Just look at their instagram for all the proof needed.
Well the thing is, both ESPN and ABC are pretty much owned by disney. And ABC uses production and staff from ESPN whenever they broadcast games (an example would be the first clip you mentioned in this video which had Gary Thorne commentating).
Yeah but abc and ESPN are one and the same. They used different graphics and a different theme prior to September 2006 with ESPN on abc. So makes sense to include it. And even now they say ESPN had not had hockey since June 7, 2004 on October 12, 2021 with the return. And June 7, 2004 was abc game being Game 7 of 2004 Cup Finals. Its all ESPN now.
Gary Thorne and now a women! Lmao nobody is watching IN FACT wrestling AEW gets better ratings weekly. Lmao This is worse then FOX glowing puck attempt. Bye bye ESPN
nothing wrong with women in hockey. Kathryn Tappen was incredible, first with NESN and then NBC. She knew the game and had a great on-air presentation. Leah Hextall, on the other hand, seems to lack understanding about the nuances of the game while presenting with an incredibly annoying tone.
The thing that ESPN is missing is the man Gary Thorne. He’s the one responsible for these memorable calls, they might aswell get him back and see if Bill Clement would come back too. Imagine him back and making more iconic calls this coming playoffs
It’s disappointing that they keep forcing their own broadcasters on us. Maybe they weren’t interested in major roles because of their main jobs, but John Forslund or Kenny Albert should be the finals guy
Off the floor - on the board - Paul Kariya. Great call.
I’ve never heard more bored announcers in my life
I've never seen anyone so bored in their lives
We haven’t had any big moments yet. Gotta give it a few years
I’ll just say this: say what we want about ESPN since well…… it’s ESPN. But I think rather we like it or not, the NHL’s deal with them along with TNT/TBS will overall help grow the league and the sport.
You're also comparing Gary Thorne to Sean McDonagh. No disrespect meant to McDonagh, but that's comparing a sweet and perfectly ripe apple to an irradiated, month old, moldy orange.
I mean McDonagh is their number 1 just like Thorne was. So it’s fair to compare them even though Thorne is miles better.
@@starkconplays The ESPN broadcast teams are objectively boring at best, irritating at worst (especially Leah Hextall; she isn't even half of who Kathryn Tappen is). TNT nailed it with their broadcast crews and studio analysts, which isn't all that surprising considering there were many carryovers from NBC.
Come on Starkcon, give them a few years!! At least they're not that bad so far depending on the coverage.
NHL on ESPN the best thing to happen to the NHL in over 20 years. I loved it on NBC but ESPN promotes it way better.
Yes I agree. I am so happy it is back on ESPN. The theme music is so awesome and its coverage is great. Back then it was better, but their 2nd stint with NHL is still good. Would like to see them get Steve Levy as main play by play guy and bring back Gary Thorne. And put more games on regular ESPN instead of non linear plus which has the bulk of regular season game. Other than that have no complaints about 2nd go around.
Turner Sports does a great job at selling the NHL. ESPN does not. After a year and a half of this new TV deal, it is safe to say that TNT is miles ahead of ESPN broadcasts. For ESPN, hockey is #5 behind the NBA, NFL, MLB, and the UFC.
WelcomeToBoston Both do a spectacular job, TNT slightly better but just because it's ESPN's 5th sport doesn't mean they don't do a good job
To me it feels like they bury it over everything else. Games get booted to their alternate channels all the time and it all just feels half assed. I will say that ESPN+ having all the games and the TNT broadcasts have been major major positives though
@@welcometoboston9524 Hockey on TNT is awful
3:26; imagine if that was the call for Paul Kariya's iconic goal
I disagree with this. I'm happy Hockey is back on ESPN. The broadcast group doesn't have to be perfect. Plus, I don't have to worry about watching a Nationally televised game that constant has Pittsburgh playing and hearing Pierre McGuire's obsession with Sidney Crosby.
Gary Throne put NHL on ESPN on his back and carried it until he retired
While I'm in Canada watching hockey on TSN and Sportsnet. Its better trust me
As an American I love watching Canadian broadcasts. They’re mostly a lot better
No it isn't lol
miss the original hockey night in canada. as much as i hate cbc it was better back then. especially with cherry
Steve Cangialosi could stop this nightmare.
i agree that women shouldn't be hockey commentators. It's just not the same energy
I don’t think that is what he is saying
Also I disagree. No, they don’t give off the same energy, but the announcers for the Women’s Rivalry Series were really good.
I disagree
Don’t you just love the sexism coming out of your mouth?
Idk about all that. For instance pam ward has been a great college football announcer since like the year 2000. Im sure there’s a woman out there that could do great, I’m not fond of the ones they are using right now though. I really have liked Kevin weekes as the color guy. He seems like the kinda guy you’d love to grab a beer with. His love for hockey is so obvious in everything he says. He bleeds it for sure
You’re comparing big playoff moments from the past to generic goals from this years regular season.
What about Lemieux final home game goal & Gretzky's 802nd; neither one of those are post season goals
As cringe as it can be, at least hockey's on a real network where people don't have to go into the hundred numbers.
Gary Thorne was exciting during bland regular season games to, so the "yOuRe nOt BeInG FaIr" crowd can hug a nut.
Look up Bob Cole CBC playoff games. Another great with Don Cherry telling you about hockey and honor. Scccooooooore
Joe and Craigh for the caps still ne of the best
It's not ALL bad at least. Bob Wischusen is objectively their best, loved him especially in the playoffs.
i like espn in the sense that it covers more than just east coast teams. NBC was only covering games with teams featuring rangers,penguins,philly,capitals, bruins and islanders. heck they didnt even care about buffalo and NJ to docs dislike.
Let's be real, the NHL on ABC coverage was in a league of their own because of Gary Thorne. I like Sean McDonough and he'll be fine come playoff time, but let's keep it 100, no one is better than Gary Thorne.
Bob Cole … if you are to young and never get CBC outa Canada your never watched playoff hockey. This women and these boring story tellers from ESPN ruin it. Fastest sport and they talk and tell stories during the play. Lmao horrible
@@mikemichaels6753 No doubt about Bob Cole. I don't live in Canada but ik he's an icon. I go with Gary Thorne mainly bc he was the first USA NHL PXP I grew up with. Of course the first clip of this video is also another reason y
Comparing ESPN hockey then vs now. Is like comparing Mario Lemieux to a rookie. Give them a chance first, like in the playoffs, and if they’re bad in the playoffs, then you can make a vid like this.
You should do late-tying goals for your next video
Should've included Gretzky's 802 vs the all women commentators game with the Calgary Flames
Put the NHL back on NBC this shit sucks
Nah tnt is way better
@@Feurmc_ bro ESPN and TNT are two different things
Well, now that we’ve seen what McDonough has done through the playoffs, safe to say ESPN needs a new lead play by play. Bob Wischusen should lead at least. No enthusiasm from McDonough and seems a step behind. He doesn’t even make it feel like a big game and I sure would not keep tuning in if it was my first game watching. He’s good for other sports but not for hockey IMO.
I agree with you but you can’t compare regular season and playoff games
The chick commentator sucks. She knows hockey, but her shrill voice makes me have to turn the sound way down or just flat out off.
They need to fired her when this season over
I just hope they revive the ESPN NHL Hockey video game franchise.
If so that would be great
I was saying the same thing
Sooo a couple things here. Yep ESPN is absolutely NOT helping the promotion of hockey, they are taking it the other direction IMO. Play by play people aren’t even qualified anymore. “Hey she is a woman, played hockey, and she needs a job, full send”. Just a disaster honestly. Buuut in fairness the Gary Thornes and Bill Clements just don’t exist anymore. And for some reason Gary Thorne does play by play for the most boring sport now. In perhaps the city with the worst baseball team since he has literally arrived.
agree with the first part. ESPN is, in essence, suffocating the popularity of hockey. They have the rights and ability to spread word of the game, but actively choose not to. Just look at their instagram for all the proof needed.
You can't even watch these "Espn" games. They are on their paid subscription service.
I use illegal streams
First clip wasn't even ESPN. It was ABC
Well the thing is, both ESPN and ABC are pretty much owned by disney. And ABC uses production and staff from ESPN whenever they broadcast games (an example would be the first clip you mentioned in this video which had Gary Thorne commentating).
@@RobertSmithhalo No argument there
Yeah but abc and ESPN are one and the same. They used different graphics and a different theme prior to September 2006 with ESPN on abc. So makes sense to include it. And even now they say ESPN had not had hockey since June 7, 2004 on October 12, 2021 with the return. And June 7, 2004 was abc game being Game 7 of 2004 Cup Finals. Its all ESPN now.
when you could actually play hockey. Not like today...especially the penguins fans lol.
It's actually not that bad? What do you expect from ESPN fireworks after each goal
Abc*
YA GOTTA LOVE IT
Woke
Gary Thorne and now a women! Lmao nobody is watching IN FACT wrestling AEW gets better ratings weekly. Lmao This is worse then FOX glowing puck attempt. Bye bye ESPN
nothing wrong with women in hockey. Kathryn Tappen was incredible, first with NESN and then NBC. She knew the game and had a great on-air presentation. Leah Hextall, on the other hand, seems to lack understanding about the nuances of the game while presenting with an incredibly annoying tone.
Amazing.