WaFd Bank Weekly Warmup: Oct 19

The NHL offseason is in full power-down mode for games and team practices, but the hockey operations personal across the league remain busy with potential free-agent additions and negotiations with players on their rosters eligible for salary arbitration. It appears NBC Sports leaders might be busy with contract matters too.
Let's get this week's
WaFd Bank
Weekly Warmup started with a legend announcing his retirement.

NHL on NBC's Doc Emrick Steps Down
Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick announced his retirement Monday, calling it a career at 47 years of broadcasting pro hockey. The 74-year-old has served as the lead voice of "NHL on NBC" national TV games for the last 15 years.
The accolades for Emrick tumbled out fast and frequently Monday, sort of like an Alex Ovechkin one-timer shot on goal during a Washington Capitals powerplay: "The risk one takes in saying something about Doc Emrick is you know he could have worded it better himself, on the spur of the moment, with 20,000 fans screaming in his ears (or up to 105,000 in the rain, snow and/or bitter cold), to a national broadcast audience relying on him to get it just right," said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. "For obvious reasons, hockey is the most challenging sport for a play-by-play man. Doc somehow didn't just master it, he transformed it into art. The game, of course, goes on. But it never again will sound quite the same."

Emrick's boss, Sam Flood, is one of the most respected figures in the history of broadcasting who has supervised big events from Super Bowls to multiple Olympic Games. He was quick to place Emrick at an elite level, no matter the sport: "Doc is a national treasure-simply put, he's one of the best ever to put on a headset in the history of sports broadcasting. He lived at the rink on game days, spending countless hours at morning skates to find one more story to seamlessly weave into his frenetic, yet lyrical, call of a game.'
Eddie Olczyk, an NHL standout in his playing days, has paired with Emrick for 14 years in what has been extraordinary joy for hockey fans: "It has been a privilege and education on hockey's biggest stage to have sat next to Doc for the last 14 years," Olczyk said. "I will miss his stories, his preparation, his play-by-play, his friendship and our dinners on the road. But most of all, I will miss his trust. My family and I wish him, Joyce, the pups and horses lots of love down the road."
Emrick by the Numbers-and Words
In 2008, Emrick won the Foster Hewitt Award, presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, for outstanding contributions to hockey broadcasting. He was the first broadcaster inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011, the year he won the first of eight Sports Emmy Awards in the "Outstanding Sports Personality -- Play-by-Play" category, including seven straight from 2014 through 2020.
He worked the Stanley Cup Final 22 times, plus called 45 Stanley Cup Playoffs/Final Game 7s, six Olympics, 14 NHL All-Star Games and 19 NHL Winter Classics and Stadium Series games, including the inaugural Winter Classic between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo on Jan. 1, 2008. Emrick estimates he's called more than 3,750 professional and Olympic hockey games.
Emrick's book, "Off Mike: How a Kid from Basketball-Crazy Indiana Became America's NHL Voice," co-authored with Kevin Allen, will be released Tuesday. His farewell video produced for NBC Sports is not to be missed.

Pulling Up a Chair
Allow me to talk in the first person for a few paragraphs: During my days as vice president and editor-in-chief at NHL.com, the league's official site, I was fortunate to get to know Doc Emrick just a bit. Known for his preparation before games, Doc arrived hours early for games, especially during the Stanley Cup Final.
I was lucky enough to be sitting in our separate NHL.com designated media area in the early afternoon before a Cup Final game about a decade ago. Doc walked by our setup, then stopped and turned around. He walked up to me, asking, "do mind if I sit here?" I did my best to appear nonchalant (I wasn't effective), like it's just another workday when a Hall of Fame all-time great voice, queries if he can pull up a chair. I said, "sure" with enthusiasm and Doc sat down to study his notes. He returned to our area a few other times and I was always thrilled. It was also fun to watch passersby or fellow staffers do a double-take when they noticed Doc sitting at one of our makeshift tables.
On the Doc-ket at NHL.com
Speaking of my hockey alma mater, NHL.com asked a lineup of its reporter-writers to offer up favorite "Doc memories." Each copy block is filled with stories of the play-by-play announcer's kindness, compassion and deep love of the sport. While the
entire article
is worth the read, here are a couple excerpts from two writers who have joined NHL.com to the better in recent years:
Amalie Benjamin, staff writer:"I spent the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs waddling around TD Garden looking as if I was about to give birth at any moment. After the Boston Bruins made a somewhat surprising run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, my son was born six days later. A few days later, I got a congratulatory text from Doc, asking for my address to send a card. But what arrived wasn't just a card; Doc had taken my address and researched a children's boutique in the town where I live and had gotten us a gift.
"When I finally made it to the store, the owner told me she had been waiting for me to come in all summer. Doc had called the store personally to get the gift card, calling back multiple times to make sure the details were perfect. She was so tickled at Doc's kindness and the interaction that she remembered it and him for months. It was something that goes to the essence of who Doc is: kind, considerate, caring and above-and-beyond in all he does, whether that be his preparation for his work, his calls on air or his thoughtfulness to his friends and the people with whom he works."
Tom Gulitti, staff writer:"While covering the New Jersey Devils in a past career, I spent a lot of time with Doc, who was the television voice of the Devils for MSG Network until 2011. The broadcasters did not travel with the Devils on their charter, so I would often fly on the same commercial flight. In January 2010, the Devils played back-to-back games at the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres and the best option then to get from Ottawa to Buffalo was to fly to Toronto and drive. Doc asked if I wanted some company on the drive and his presence made the trip fly by.
"At one point, I asked a scheduling question about the Vancouver Olympics and Doc, who would call the hockey tournament, didn't know the answer. He unclicked his seatbelt and began climbing over his seat to reach his briefcase. Watching Doc precariously balanced while speeding down the Queen Elizabeth Way, I realized I'd be responsible if anything happened to this broadcasting legend and possibly the nicest person on the planet. I slowed down and tried to keep my eyes on the road while urging Doc to return to his seat. Doc insisted on retrieving the paper with the information he needed. I was relieved when he was safely clicked back into his seatbelt and careful the remainder of the drive not to ask any questions that might cause him to go on another excursion. Knowing Doc, he'd always want to find out the answer."
Framing Free Agency
After 15 seasons with San Jose, 41-year-old forward Joe Thornton signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs last Friday in hopes of winning his first Stanley Cup. "I need to win a Cup, and I think this is a great team that can do that," Thornton said. "It was probably the hardest hockey decision I've ever had to make, but I truly believe Toronto, with the roster they have with the guys they picked up this offseason, I think this team is ready to win now. I'm ready to win." Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, who as a boy rooted for Thornton, a player for the hometown Sault St. Marie Greyhounds said he believes Thornton will help both Toronto's powerplay and locker room attitude."
The one-year deal makes perfect sense for a 41-year-old heading into his 23rd NHL season. But younger, in-their-prime forwards like Taylor Hall signing a one-year contract is more about the current market conditions. The lack on gate revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic has a number of teams not spending this offseason because there will be a flat or unchanged salary cap. Most NHL general managers approached last offseason planning for an increased salary cap for the 2020-21 season and beyond, including the Kraken's debut in. 2021-22. The flat cap appears to have diluted the interest in signing forward Mike Hoffman to a multiple-year deal despite being the most prolific goal scorer on the free agent. Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman is reporting Hoffman might consider a one-year deal himself, hoping another solid year on the ice and more optimism from GMs will lead to a longer-term deal.