Tonight (or tomorrow depending on your time zone) will mark a massive milestone in hockey broadcast history. This will be the debut of Roger’s version of Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC), a sports media staple since November 1931, that broadcasted on the Canadian National Railway radio network. Later of course it would shift to the CRBC, and to television on the CBC.

While the program will continue to air on the CBC, and still feature Ron and Don in Coach’s Corner, it will reset a precedence of hockey-mad Canadians and internet savvy international fans (and some of you US residents on the border).

While I have to work through the early game, and some of the late game (which I will be DVR’ing as it features a nice matchup of the Canucks and Oilers), this will be a first impression for HNIC.

For those watching, note your take on this. Whether predictions or criticisms (positive and negative) of how Roger’s presents this cultural Canadian media phenomenon. Generations of Canadians have spent countless hours enjoying hockey with the CBC. We are upon the doorstep of a new era.

What do you think?