Around the League Thread | Conference Final Edition | We Are All Kevin Bieksa

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crazychimp

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Jun 24, 2014
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Did he kneecap Thatcher Demko? That would have been the one real obstacle for the Oilers, who were everyone’s preseason Cup pick anyway.
I mean he got injured and so did Boeser shit luck sure but it’s part of the game, getting to a final is hard but remaining healthy is more difficult and that’s part of it. I think the real obstacle is this stacked Florida team that has been playing incredibly. The Oilers defence was also just as incredible in rd3. As much as was made about Nurse he really did step up the last 2 games and has been a shot blocking machine. Florida I feel has the personnel to shut down McDrai and will be their toughest matchup. It in turn Oilers will also be Florida’s toughest matchup as well. Really looking forward to this series to see how it plays out.
 
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crazychimp

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Will Sportsnet keep that bum gazdic after the shit he's caused online
I didn’t really have an opinion on him until now. Both Canuck and Oiler twitter/social media is toxic. But calling the team a joke after going 7 games in the second round after a complete turn around with Tocchet and co is pretty wild. You can’t let negative things on social media get in your head and call the Oilers team “we” when you are part of the national broadcast team you have to remain neutral and professional at all times like Bieksa. I mean not even the biggest Leafs homers on that panel have ever said “we”. He’s better suited for an Oilers podcast environment not a HNIC panel.
 

PavelBure10

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Will Sportsnet keep that bum gazdic after the shit he's caused online

I just saw this video this morning. There are trolls on Twitter and on here on Hfboards, to call out the Canucks saying the team sucks and so on in a load of crap. It's best to ignore trolls and to let them provoke him so badly that he shoots down the Canucks team is so unprofessional from his behalf. We all knew he was a Homer, but this is over the top. Classless.
 

Huggy43

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Wait, so the guy who claimed “both teams embellish” to then show clips of Vancouver to Edmonton 8:3 (even though they were the only team in 7 games to actually get an embellishment penalty) was actually biased the entire time?

I am surprised!
 
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StreetHawk

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We have been spoiled on our broadcasts with Robson, Hughson, Shorthouse and even the Color guys, who like Larschied is a bit enthusiastic, but I don't recall him calling the Canucks we, cause he's a former football guy. Even Garrett.

If you do a regional broadcast, I can get it.

But, when you do that on your regional broadcasts and get tapped to do National, it's so ingrained in you that you can't drop it.
 

Pure West

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Oct 3, 2005
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Gadzic is on the marquee broadcast for the NHL, and will be on the panel in the Stanley Cup Final. He really needs to grow up. Yes, there are idiots on social media. There are all kinds of terrible people out there that are going to say mean things about you that undoubtedly cross the line when you're a public broadcaster. The key is to be an adult and not let it get to you.

He isn't being an online troll himself that is doing it for business reasons. He is trying to be a serious hockey analyst on HNIC. He genuinely looked hurt by these comments and it is genuinely sticking with him in his head and this will only make it worse. Going off like this is the kind of thing that might cost you your job, a job that thousands of ex-players would undoubtedly kill for. I feel bad for him, but not everyone is cut out for this business.
 

thecupismine

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You can't say the things Gazdic said as a national broadcaster.

You can be biased and a homer towards your own team (Bob Cole & Jim Hughson were some of the best but you knew who they were rooting for), but when you start sounding like a drunk fan arguing with another drunk fan at a game, you can get your ass back down to the local radio level instead where it's more appropriate.

There's a level of professionalism required for the role, and unless you got the charisma of a Stephen A Smith & know exactly how to push and pull with your audience, you need to veer on the side of cautious to establish some credibility first.
 

StreetHawk

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Gadzic is on the marquee broadcast for the NHL, and will be on the panel in the Stanley Cup Final. He really needs to grow up. Yes, there are idiots on social media. There are all kinds of terrible people out there that are going to say mean things about you that undoubtedly cross the line when you're a public broadcaster. The key is to be an adult and not let it get to you.

He isn't being an online troll himself that is doing it for business reasons. He is trying to be a serious hockey analyst on HNIC. He genuinely looked hurt by these comments and it is genuinely sticking with him in his head and this will only make it worse. Going off like this is the kind of thing that might cost you your job, a job that thousands of ex-players would undoubtedly kill for. I feel bad for him, but not everyone is cut out for this business.
He needs the job. 147 nhl games and like 9 years on the minors. He didn’t make 8 figures in his career. He’s along the same lines as Dave Tomlinson. Not a Bieksa.

You’d actually expect the opposite in that KB doesn’t need this job but he’s excelling at it.
 
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StreetHawk

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He was drafted in round 7 in 2003 (he was passed over in 2002 draft). Guy turns 40 this year. Made 2 Cup finals. Just a great career.

Looks like he will leave Burns & Suter as the last skaters from the 2003 draft (though again, he's a year older than Burns and Suter). Same age as MAF, but a few weeks/months older as MAF has a late birthday and didn't qualify for 2002 draft.
 
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SeawaterOnIce

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Really thought little Joe would play until his early 40s after last season but he really hit a wall by the playoffs. He was flat out finished by Round 2 and was a liability by Round 3.

Doesn't take away from his amazing career. Guy was a warrior for the Sharks and helped carry the Stars between 2020-2023 despite being in his late 30s. Real shame he couldn't win a cup.
 
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StreetHawk

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Really thought little Joe would play until his early 40s after last season but he really hit a wall by the playoffs. He was flat out finished by Round 2 and was a liability by Round 3.

Doesn't take away from his amazing career. Guy was a warrior for the Sharks and helped carry the Stars between 2020-2023 despite being in his late 30s. Realy shame he couldn't win a cup.
He turns 40 in July. So, basically played til 40. I mean, Burns returns next season and turns 40 in March while Suter turns 40 in January.
 
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vancityluongo

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Really thought little Joe would play until his early 40s after last season but he really hit a wall by the playoffs. He was flat out finished by Round 2 and was a liability by Round 3.

Doesn't take away from his amazing career. Guy was a warrior for the Sharks and helped carry the Stars between 2020-2023 despite being in his late 30s. Realy shame he couldn't win a cup.

was just saying yesterday, playoffs aside... i would've taken him on the canucks next season in the role we wanted to give to kessel

slow, old, soft cushy minutes, defensive liability, blah blah blah... there is no scenario where ilya mikheyev scores 67 points next season lol
 
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Mr. Canucklehead

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You can't say the things Gazdic said as a national broadcaster.

You can be biased and a homer towards your own team (Bob Cole & Jim Hughson were some of the best but you knew who they were rooting for), but when you start sounding like a drunk fan arguing with another drunk fan at a game, you can get your ass back down to the local radio level instead where it's more appropriate.

There's a level of professionalism required for the role, and unless you got the charisma of a Stephen A Smith & know exactly how to push and pull with your audience, you need to veer on the side of cautious to establish some credibility first.

This - but I think his comments about the team itself would prove more problematic than the comments about Vancouver Twitter. To call them garbage, etc. and then go on a National Broadcast and try to appear professional is something that might catch him some flak internally at Sportsnet. In fairness, I think the same likely occurred with Bieksa and his comments about the Edmonton media - he may well have said what every current and former player was thinking, but in his role, there's a certain level of restraint expected when discussing guys that are for all intents and purposes "in your peer group", and torpedoing them on national television like Bieksa did might have ruffled some feathers.

But I think Gazdic's situation is a bit different, as while Bieksa was defending a player in Darnell Nurse, Gazdic clearly was bent out of shape at being called a homer and harboured a lot of ill will towards the Canucks' fanbase and their team in general, and went on the offensive against both - which ironically, just showed how much they're all living rent free in his head.

Dhaliwal put it well this morning - Twitter is a toxic place. Get thicker skin or get out of the business. Gazdic should probably heed that. I actually think he's a decent analyst and an articulate speaker, but much like my opinion about Harnaryan Singh, I can't abide him doing Oilers games, because he's so blatantly biased. Calling non-Oiler games? Totally fine. But if you're on a National broadcast and trying to present balanced perspectives, you can't have guys like Gazdic and Singh be carrying the Oiler flag against whomever they're playing. Kevin Bieksa is the textbook example of how to do this and be a pro.
 

EpochLink

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Aug 1, 2006
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You can't say the things Gazdic said as a national broadcaster.

You can be biased and a homer towards your own team (Bob Cole & Jim Hughson were some of the best but you knew who they were rooting for), but when you start sounding like a drunk fan arguing with another drunk fan at a game, you can get your ass back down to the local radio level instead where it's more appropriate.

There's a level of professionalism required for the role, and unless you got the charisma of a Stephen A Smith & know exactly how to push and pull with your audience, you need to veer on the side of cautious to establish some credibility first.

Gadzic is the WISH version of PJ Stock.
 
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