Boston, Massachusetts- With the NHL playoffs underway and the state of Utah now having a professional hockey team, I'm getting a little excited about hockey fever right now. If the Bruins can break that 3-1 lead for the second year in a row, that feeling might ease, but I'll remain optimistic.
For New England hockey fans, one of the biggest news this season is the retirement of Jack Edwards. Jack, who has been the voice of the Bruins since 2006, has become known for making iconic calls in most of his series' recent signature moments, including the Original Six. Prior to that, he worked for ESPN from 1991 until 2003 and was called up for many of the 2002 Men's World Cup matches. He just called the Bruins' final game on NESN, as Game 7 will be nationally televised.
Over the past few seasons, it has become clear that his speech is a step behind. Hockey is a fast-paced sport, and Edwards, 67, struggled to keep up. In February, Jack shared these concerns with the Boston Globe. Jack said there was no medical problem as doctors struggled to determine the cause. Perhaps what struck me most about this article was his retirement plan.
“I love my job, but I know that retirement isn't far away,” he added, noting that his retirement plans are to ski about 100 days a year.
Does that mean one of hockey's most famous announcers is an avid skier? I decided to dig a little deeper and find out a little more about skier Jack Edwards.
He originally intended to become a soccer player, but a famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) ski injury ended up changing his life. Before Jack Edwards' junior year with the University of New Hampshire soccer team, he traveled to Vail, Colorado, to train at high altitude. During an exhibition match he collided with an opposing goalie and broke one of his legs.
During his recovery period, he became UNH's announcer and appeared on many sports programs, including hockey. When Jack returned to the pitch, he was not the same player and decided to focus on his broadcasting career.
One of his first big jobs was being called up for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics ski event on ABC. Edwards told UNH Magazine in 2002 what his assignment meant to his career:
“That was a giant. They gave me a chance. They said, 'Here's someone who's really passionate about skiing, who knows a thing or two about skiing, and who can make it happen, so I can do it. We're going to create a position for him.” ”
In 2014, The Boston Globe interviewed Jack about his biggest passion outside of hockey: skiing. Like his Bruins, he's pretty dedicated to the sport. His favorite ski area in New England is Mud His River Glen, and he loves watching the Blizzard of War as part of his après-ski experience.
In terms of the best ski day ever, he has two very impressive candidates.
1. 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics (ABC's last Games). Nakiska was cut specifically to host the Olympic races. I arrived there 10 days ago.
It was not open to the public. The only people allowed on the hill were racers, coaches, course staff, mountain workers, and production staff to set up camera positions. It was a world class racing camp.
Climbing the hill before sunrise and chasing the likes of Zurbriggen and Tomba (until they blew me away, started running and disappeared over the horizon in three revolutions) was an opportunity to imitate and learn their techniques. . What an education! I skied 27 days in a row, 22 of which were “work” days. (chuckles)
2. Val d'Isère, France, 1991. Working for CBS Sports, we were scheduled to cover two days of training, two downhills and a super-G, but it snowed. And it kept snowing. 7 feet in 3 days but never got through the gate. So we filed daily reports, but we couldn't cover even a single run. But in Jean-Claude Killy's hometown, he was doing 6,000-foot vertical loops in neck-deep powder all day every day. It would be even better if you had a snorkel. ”
Cheers to Jack Edwards for being the voice of the Bruins for almost 20 years. I hope you encounter some wicked mint turns in the coming years.
Image/Video Credit: Nessun, ABC
