The Puck Stops Here

Yesterday, the Hockey Hall of Fame announced their media inductees for 2008. They inducted sportscaster Mike "Doc" Emrick and journalist Neil Stevens.

Mike Emrick began doing play-by-play in 1973 for the Port Huron Flags of the IHL. In 1977, he began commentating for the Maine Mariners of the AHL. In 1980, he became calling games for the Philadelphia Flyers. In 1982, he became the first ever voice of the New Jersey Devils. He returned to the Flyers organization in 1988 and went back to the Devils in 1993, where he remains to this day. Along the way, he has also done some New York Rangers games as a replacement for Marv Albert. He also done national US service as a play-by-pay announcer for ESPN from 1986-88, ABC in 1993/94, Fox from 1995-99, ABC from 2000-2004 and Versus/OLN and NBC from 2005 to present (basically he has been a play-by-play guy for whichever station holds US television rights). He has also done commentation for sports other than hockey including the Summer Olympics, NFL and NCAA Basketball Tournament. Emrick is one of the most recognizable hockey commentators in the US today.

Neil Stevens is one of the most read, yet unknown, hockey journalists in Canada. He has worked for the Canadian Press wire service for more than 30 years. He frequently writes the game stories that appear in Canadian papers, yet they rarely contain his name in the byline.

Both are deserving Hall of Fame inductees. The remaining 2008 inductees will be selected after the playoffs end. Here are the players I would induct this year if I was on the Hall of Fame committee.