The NHL on NBC is done, but Pierre McGuire is not
When the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup on Monday, it not only marked the end of the 2020-21 NHL season, it also marked the end of the NHL on NBC after a 16 year run. Starting next season, ESPN is the American broadcast partner for the NHL. Parent company Disney did decide to scoop up some of the announcers and analysts from NBC for their broadcasts, but well-known on-air personality Pierre McGuire was not one of them. However, that doesn't mean he's preparing to ride quietly off into the sunset.
McGuire appeared on TSN 690 Radio on Friday and while he wouldn't divulge exactly what's next for him, he did say he's starting something new in the hockey world and an announcement will be made on Monday.
McGuire may not be the most well-liked on-air personality of the last couple of decades, but his experience is hard to match. He served as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins, assistant coach, assistant GM and head coach of the Hartford Whalers, and assistant coach and scout with the Ottawa Senators. He was a part of the NHL on NBC from the very beginning in 2006, did hockey coverage for TSN, writing for Sports Illustrated and even did Olympic Games coverage for NBC back in 2012. His delivery can certainly be awkward, but McGuire seems to have an almost photographic memory when it comes to hockey and appears to love and respect the game as much as anyone.
Whatever McGuire's next move is, he's bound to have some fans that will follow him.
