Bieksa is returning to Hockey Night in Canada and Canucks fans are jacked
Kevin Bieksa is staying put at Hockey Night in Canada. The 42-year-old former Vancouver Canucks defenceman shared the good news on Twitter, where wild unfounded rumours had been claiming otherwise.
It comes a day after Ron MacLean said that would be returning next season.
“If Ron MacLean is coming back then so am I,” Bieksa said emphatically, to the delight of Canucks fans in particular.
If @Ron_MacLean is coming back then so am I! @heritageftl pic.twitter.com/wjjWcVE6J7
— Kevin Bieksa (@kbieksa3) July 18, 2023
The news comes in the wake of a report out of Toronto from Howard Berger, who had a source tell him that “only Elliotte Friedman is safe” on the Hockey Night in Canada panel.
MacLean and David Amber shared hosting duties during the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year, with Bieksa, Friedman, Kelly Hrudey, and Jennifer Botterill also on the panel as analysts.
Berger’s report was contradicted by Canadian sports media insider Jonah Sigel of YYZSportsMedia.com yesterday.
“Despite grumblings to the contrary, [Rogers Sports and Media President Colette Watson] appears to be making no changes to her core and rolling it back,” Sigel said on Monday.
By all accounts Colette Watson is following the Dubas playbook with the @hockeynight crew & despite grumblings to the contrary appears to be making no changes to her core and rolling it back.
— jonah (@yyzsportsmedia) July 17, 2023
Bieksa has found a way to mix insightful analysis with humour, often taking jabs at Friedman and MacLean, as only he can.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Hive last November, Bieksa spoke glowingly about his Hockey Night in Canada co-workers, calling them “teammates.”
āThereās nothing premeditated about the show,ā Bieksa explained. āI can just go on and we just wing it. Itās kind of like having a teammate that youāre around every day and you have such a good relationship with, that you can go at each other and you know it comes from a place of love. I know itās entertaining for the fans when [Elliotte and I] go at each other, but honestly, itās out of respect and love. I think we can both laugh at it.ā
āWhen weāre going back and forth with each other, Iām honestly encouraging him to take jabs at me. And heās encouraging me to take jabs at him. Because he knows itās entertaining and itās fun. Thatās a big part of our show. But itās a balance between that and obviously the hockey knowledge and entertaining the fans from a technical standpoint.ā
Bieksa was a popular player during his days with the Canucks, and that has continued in Vancouver throughout his short but already successful broadcasting career.
Needless to say, the decision to bring back Bieksa is drawing rave reviews on the west coast.
The best news of the summer. https://t.co/xGl9xyOCel
— JABO Vancouver (@jabo_vancouver) July 18, 2023
Bieksa like… https://t.co/TQ5gTb7QcJ pic.twitter.com/VFbmxNfCzS
— Joshua Griffith (@JoshuaGriffith0) July 18, 2023
Well if @Ron_MacLean and @kbieksa3 are returning I will be there too. Is it hockey season yet?
— Janine (@MoonWingJ) July 18, 2023
But I have it on good authority by a couple randos on Canucks twitter (with no sources) that you'd even let go…
Great to have you back, Kev!
— rockjarico bc š (@BROCKHARDNUCK) July 18, 2023
awesome news!! youāre the best part of hockey night in Canada!!
— cat š¦ (@canucksedins) July 18, 2023
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