Does Announcer Eddie Olczyk Ever Stop Working?!

NHL Winter Classic 2009 Press Conference

Chicago Blackhawks fans have loved many things the last few seasons. You have the "Chelsea Dagger" song after a goal, Jim Cornelison singing the anthem, and a very exciting team on the ice.

The fun does not just happen at the United Center, but it is also felt in the living room. Pat Foley is "the man" at play-by-play, but alongside him, there has been another great addition recently.

Eddie Olczyk loves hockey, has passion in his voice, and explains the game with such clarity that even a rookie to the hockey viewing process can understand. Plus, the great thing about him is that he is everywhere. Blackhawks fans hear him throughout the season on Comcast Sports Net and WGN, he is also the lead analyst on the NHL on NBC, and he does many games for Versus.

Chicago was on Versus last night, so there was no Pat Foley. Yet, you do get Olczyk and that adds to the love of the Hawks. The big comeback from being down 5-0 was enhanced by your own analyst, just as the experience was during the Winter Classic and the postseason last year.

The idea of hearing your own announcer on a national telecast is pretty cool. The Boston Red Sox had it this postseason with Don Orsillo on TBS, although that Boston run ended pretty quickly.

It is also nice that Olczyk never gives away that he is the Hawks' analyst. This is hard to do on a national telecast, considering he works for the Blackhawks throughout the season. Orsillo or a FOX baseball announcer runs into this problem occasionally. Yet Olczyk is on the national telecasts all the time, and the Hawks will be on national TV a good amount this season.

This is just another reason to love the Blackhawks. Foley and Olczyk, Mike Emrick and Olczyk...it doesn't matter. The Hawks' analyst is good on every telecast, and there are certainly a lot to choose from.

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