Eddie Ulczyk is not expected to return as Black Hawks announcer: Source

Last year, the Blackhawks parted ways with general manager Stan Bowman, coach Jeremy Coleton, longtime play-by-play vote-by-play Pat Foley, superstar Alex DeBrinkat, up-and-coming players Brandon Hagel and Kirby Dash, and host. of front-office employees, all while the fates of franchisees Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews remain mysterious at best.

Add local institution Eddie Olczyk to the list.

A source said Ulczyk is not expected to return to the position he held for 16 seasons.

Olczyk’s contract expired on June 30 – the same day the Blackhawks left a number of lesser-known employees – and negotiations have stalled for the past two weeks. Olczyk, who also serves as TNT’s lead game analyst, is expected to be selected by another team and continue the dual local/national workload.

A source in the team said that the leadership of the Black Hawk was “shocked” by the news as soon as it was published athlete. The source said Black Hawks offered to “extend the contract for several years” and they believe they had a verbal agreement “weeks ago”. The deal offered Olczyk a higher price on a per-game basis but did not include all 82 games, due to Olczyk’s national duties with TNT and NBC coverage of horse racing.

The Blackhawks suspected that broadcast director Trevor Bray had been reaching out to former players to check their availability to serve as a color commentator on next season’s NBC Sports Chicago broadcast, saying Bray had not contacted anyone to take on the Olczyk role, only to act as a fill-in when needed.

Olczyk, a Chicago native who was drafted by the Blackhawks for third in 1984, has been calling the Blackhawks’ games alongside Foley since the 2006-07 season. He spent last season working with a number of theatrical voices while Foley retired, with Chris Fosters Get a full time job to go forward.

The Blackhawks have been trying to get younger, and for lack of a better word, they’re (more active on social media, for example) by broadcasting under the guidance of COO Jaime Faulkner and CEO Danny Wirtz. However, Faulkner Tell the athlete in february She expects Olczyk to return (along with the radio team of John Wiedeman and Troy Murray).

“Eddy is part of our future; she said at the time that John and Troy would be staying with us.” “And now, it is being discovered how to fit all the other pieces.”

Now, the Vosters will need a new color commentator, with Patrick Sharp and Adam Burrish among the names he thinks Bray called. Studio analyst Caley Chelios called in a number of games as well, and that could be an option. Olczyk’s son, Nick, made a positive impression during his tests on both TV and radio, and it could be another possibility.

Broadcasting services man Colby Cohen is entering the second year of a five-year contract, and he called up some games this past season as well, but the Black Hawks prefer him either in the studio or between seats during games.

(Photo: Jon Doerr/USA Today)