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Bob McKenzie (broadcaster)

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For the fictional television host, see Bob and Doug McKenzie.

Bob McKenzie
Born (1956-08-16) August 16, 1956 (age 68)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OccupationSportscaster
EmployerTSN
Known forThe NHL on TSN
SpouseCindy
Children3; including Mike McKenzie

Robert Malcomson McKenzie (born August 16, 1956[1]) is a Canadian hockey commentator who has covered hockey since joining TSN in 1986. As a TSN Hockey Insider and TSN's Draft Expert, McKenzie provides analysis for NHL on TSN telecasts, as well as for the IIHF World Junior Championships, NHL Draft, NHL Trade Deadline, Free Agency, and for six Olympic Winter Games.

Early life and education

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McKenzie was born in Toronto[1] and attended Bendale Public School.[2] After graduating from Ryerson Polytechnic University, McKenzie was hired for his first full-time newspaper job at The Sault Star in 1979.[3]

Career

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In 1981, McKenzie quit The Sault Star and moved back to Toronto to earn a job in the sports department at one of the mainstream papers. Although he earned a position as a copy editor in The Globe and Mail's sports department, he was not offered any full-time positions.[4]

In 1982, McKenzie was offered a position as editor-in-chief of The Hockey News.[5] McKenzie stayed at the magazine for nine years before joining the Toronto Star as a hockey columnist until 1998.[6] While with the Toronto Star, McKenzie was reporting from the Tampa Bay Lightning dressing room after a loss when he was asked to leave by Phil Esposito. Upon refusing, a scuffle ensued and McKenzie filed a complaint with Toronto police claiming assault.[7][8] McKenzie returned to The Hockey News for three years where he participated in their half-hour segments on The Sports Network (TSN), and was eventually hired as an analyst for Canadian Hockey League games.[4] He was eventually offered a position with TSN's broadcasting team in 2000.[9][10]

In honour of his reporting skills, McKenzie won the Gemini Award for Best Studio Analyst for his work on the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship: Gold Final.[11]

In October 2014, McKenzie and Darren Dreger began appearing as full-time contributors on NBCSN. This was due to the fact that TSN lost their NHL broadcasting rights package to Sportsnet.[12][13] Two years later, he received the 2016 Canadian Screen award for Best Sports Analyst.[14]

McKenzie was awarded the 2015 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.[15] He was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.[16] In 2019, McKenzie signed a five-year contract extension with TSN.[17]

Personal life

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McKenzie and his wife Cindy have three sons, all of whom played hockey. Although one of his sons quit the sport due to concussions, his son Mike McKenzie went on to play professionally.[5] Cindy is the older sister of John Goodwin, a former professional ice hockey player.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bob McKenzie – Elite Prospects". Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  2. ^ McKenzie, Bob (2009). Hockey Dad: True Confessions of a (Crazy) Hockey Parent. John Wiley & Sons. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-470-15939-2. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  3. ^ @TSNBobMcKenzie (May 2, 2019). "I'm not one to mark anniversaries or whatever, but it did just occur to me it was 40 years ago this past month I got hired to my first full-time newspaper job. Graduated — well, not quite — from Ryerson in April, 1979 and got hired at The Sault Star in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ a b Shoalts, David (February 28, 2016). "TSN analyst Bob McKenzie knows it's better to be right than simply first". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Fitz-Gerald, Sean (May 29, 2015). "20 Questions with TSN's Bob McKenzie: Rivalry with Sportsnet, crazy hockey parents and calling the cops on Phil Esposito". The National Post. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  6. ^ Cowan, Stu (May 10, 2015). "Cowan: TSN's Bob McKenzie remains modest with one million Twitter followers". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  7. ^ "Snow Job in Tampa". si.com. November 2, 1992. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  8. ^ "Writer accuses Esposito of assault". upi.com. October 16, 1992. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  9. ^ "TSN's Bob McKenzie inducted into Whitby Sports Hall of Fame". tsn.ca. April 28, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  10. ^ Dryden, Steve (November 7, 2015). "BOB MCKENZIE GOES FROM THN TO TSN TO HHOF". thehockeynews.com. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  11. ^ "CBC big winner of Geminis for news, sports and documentaries". cbc.ca. October 20, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  12. ^ "Dreger, McKenzie set to join NBCSN". October 7, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  13. ^ Deitsch, Richard (October 6, 2014). "Meet NBC's new hockey personalities in this week's Media Circus". Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  14. ^ "TSN Leads Sports Category in Nominations and Wins at Canadian Screen Awards". bellmedia.ca. March 9, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  15. ^ Cowan, Stu (June 4, 2015). "TSN's Bob McKenzie wins Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  16. ^ "McKenzie,Bob". whitbysportshalloffame.com. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  17. ^ "TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie signs new contract with TSN". tsn.ca. October 2, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  18. ^ Purvis, Michael (March 6, 2013). "Goodwin takes us back to prolific 1980-81 season". Sault Star. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
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