Kelly Hrudey sends a strong message to Sportsnet following sudden exit
Photo credit: Image via YouTube
Kelly Hrudey didn't lash out. He didn't demand answers. Instead, the longtime Hockey Night in Canada analyst responded to his exit from Sportsnet with a video that thanked nearly everyone connected to the network.
It was a move that industry observers are reading as a pointed, if graceful, statement of its own.
Hrudey revealed on June 19 that he was told his contract would not be renewed for the upcoming season, and he shared the news publicly this week in a video posted to social media.
Rather than dwelling on the decision, the 65-year-old former NHL goaltender used the moment to reflect on a 28-year broadcasting career with Hockey Night in Canada, following 15 seasons in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks.
A thank you built for the cameras and the crew
Hrudey's message went far beyond the viewers who watched him for three decades.
He thanked producers, directors and everyone working behind the scenes, calling them friends rather than coworkers.
He singled out hair, makeup and clothing staff for the difficult job of making him look presentable on air.
That level of detail, naming roles rarely acknowledged publicly, is part of why colleagues reacted so strongly.
Elliotte Friedman said he was still shocked by the news, while Chris Cuthbert called it hard to think of anyone with a better first two acts of a career.
Timing raises questions about Sportsnet's direction
The move comes as Sportsnet undergoes major changes to its NHL coverage, including the end of its CBC simulcast arrangement and a new sublicensing deal that hands Amazon Prime Video exclusive rights to select games.
Hrudey didn't address those shifts directly, but the graciousness of his exit, paired with a quietly teased "act three," stands in contrast to a network reshaping itself without him.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Elliotte Friedman's Quinn Hughes update is bad news for the Minnesota Wild
Elliotte Friedman's Quinn Hughes update is bad news for the Minnesota Wild