The days are getting shorter and the air is cooling off in the evenings—sure signs that fall is just around the corner.
We're three weeks away from Labour Day—and this year, that means we're three weeks away from the debut of Sportsnet 650, which becomes the Canucks' flagship radio station when it launches on September 4.
The new play-by-play team was announced this morning.
Brendan Batchelor is a local boy, from Coquitlam, who graduated from BCIT's Broadcast Journalism program in 2010. He got his start as a play-by-play broadcaster with the BCHL's Surrey Eagles before moving on to the Vancouver Giants, where he has called games for the last four years. He has also been Media Relations director for the Giants since 2014.
Obviously prepared for this move, the Giants have announced Batchelor's replacement this morning:
Giants announce @DanOConnor_PG as new Director of Media Relations and play by play broadcaster. Welcome aboard Dan!
Corey Hirsch will continue the grand tradition of goalies-as-analysts, following in the footsteps of other former goaltenders such as Hockey Night in Canada's Kelly Hrudey, Greg Millen and Glenn Healy as well as local broadcasters like Daryl "Razor" Reaugh—the Prince George native who has been the colour man in Dallas for more than 20 years.
Hirsch played 101 of his 108 NHL games in a Vancouver uniform. Originally drafted in the eighth round by the New York Rangers, the Medicine Hat native was traded to the Canucks in exchange for Nathan LaFayette in April of 1995. His stock had risen after his stellar performance for Team Canada at the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, where he won a silver medal—and was immortalized on a Swedish postage stamp after giving up the gold-medal goal to Peter Forsberg in a shootout.
After hanging up his skates in 2006, Hirsch worked as a goaltending coach in Toronto and St. Louis. Over the past couple of years, he turned his attention to broadcasting, where he has been an outspoken panelist as a member of the Sportsnet team.
Hirsch also shared the harrowing story of his battle with mental illness with the Players Tribune back in February:
"I am not insane. I am not a bad person. I am not weak. I have an illness, and there is a treatment." https://t.co/joPTp868Dx
I have enjoyed Hirsch's willingness to speak his mind since he took to the airwaves, so I think he'll bring some fire to the Canucks' radio broadcasts. I also like that he has some big-game experience under his belt. He'll have some good stories to tell about life on the ice, in the room and on the road.
Hirsch will also have plenty to talk about as Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson battle for the No. 1 goaltending job next season:
Hirsch on the #Canucks goalies : "There will be some growing pains, neither has been a true #1. They need to play a lot." #Canucks
A post shared by Anders Nilsson (@andersnilsson31) on
Sportsnet radio program director Craig MacEwen has made a concerted effort to bring in new faces for the new station. I believe Scott Rintoul is the only TSN1040 alumnus—he'll co-host the new afternoon show after having been let go from his full-time position with TSN earlier this year.
The new play-by-play team means the end of the road for colour man Dave Tomlinson of North Vancouver after seven seasons, and for play-by-play voice Jon Abbott after three seasons.
A reflection filled with gratitude. Not enough words, not enough space, not enough time. More to follow. ❤️2Vancouver pic.twitter.com/ujim2oprST
The new team of Batchelor and Hirsch will debut at YoungStars in Penticton, starting September 8.
The other story to follow today—free agency looms for NCAA stars Will Butcher and West Vancouver's Alex Kerfoot, who will both have the opportunity to choose their own team starting tomorrow after completing their four years of college.
Click here for a good backgrounder on the scenario from Ryan Lambert of Puck Daddy, who follows the college scene closely throughout the year.
Lambert suggests that Kerfoot "looks to me a lot more like an AHL guy for a few years at least; teams should look to sign him because he helps the organization, but he’s not making an NHL impact for a while, if ever." He's higher on Butcher and is surprised that he hasn't generated the same hype that Jimmy Vesey received last season.
Lambert refrains from guessing possible landing spots for either player, but suggests that every team should be making a pitch—it never hurts to add a player with upside who has already logged several years of development. A very unscientific Twitter search turns up a lot of buzz linking Kerfoot to the New York Rangers.
To wrap up today—I hope you didn't buy tickets for the Oldum Brown Vancouver Open in hopes of catching rising star Denis Shapovalov this week:
Shapovalov bowed out of the Rogers Cup with a 6-4, 7-5 straight-set loss to Sascha Zverev in the semifinal. Zverev went on to beat Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to win the week so in a way, that legitimizes Shapovalov even further—he ran into a red-hot opponent at the top of his game.
Last week's success moves Shapovalov from No. 143 to No. 67 in today's updated ATP world tennis rankings. His next big task will be to try to qualify for the U.S. Open. Those matches will take place next week, starting August 22.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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