I still have no idea why so many people seem to hate Jim Hughson’s PXP but I know this: those people are probably high-fiving each other on the patio of a Shoeless Joe’s after the news broke today.

DailyHive: Jim Hughson has been left off Sportsnet’s game-calling schedule and everyone outside of Vancouver is rejoicing right now.

Sportsnet released its broadcast schedule for the Stanley Cup Playoffs today, with one prominent name conspicuously absent.

Jim Hughson won’t be calling any games on Hockey Night in Canada or any other Sportsnet broadcasts in the playoffs.

Chris Cuthbert and Craig Simpson are scheduled to broadcast the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, which begins Thursday, May 20. They’ll be joined by Kyle Bukauskas, as the in-arena host.

Harnarayan Singh and Louie DeBrusk will be in the broadcast booth for the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets series, beginning on Wednesday. Gene Principe (Edmonton) and Scott Oake (Winnipeg) will share the hosting duties for that series.

John Bartlett and Garry Galley will also call select games between non-Canadian teams south of the border.

Yeah, I don’t see my friend and (former?) Oilers PXP guy Jack Michaels on that list either.

Hmm.

Listen.  It doesn’t really fucking matter who calls a game anymore FFS.  Unless that person is Bob Cole or Harry Neale, I could give a shit if it was Jim Hughson, Chris Cuthbert, or Snoop Dog calling an NHL game so I’m different.  But how is it possible that so many people are dunking on Jim Hughson losing his job today?  Did he murder babies or run a derelict puppy mill prior to calling games?  Is he one of those assholes who doesn’t return shopping carts?

Because HOLY SHIT, you guys hate the man.

Meh. Love him or hate him, he was the best in the business and did it at the highest level for 20 years and you didn’t, so there’s that.  But let’s wonder.

In terms of him not being on the schedule, there was no preceding announcement from SN so one should assume it’s performance-related.  I don’t know about his contractual situation either BUT if you consider where we’re at with the pandemic, factor in Buck Martinez not getting vaccinated calling games from his home in FLA, one could also assume this might be vaccine (or lack thereof) related.

Sportsnet has a habit of firing people according to the temperature on social media (see George Strombolopolous) but my money is riding on Jim not wanting to get vaccinated which is nothing more than a pure guess after a few phone calls and thinking through the shitty way people lose media gigs in 2021

My Saturday nights won’t change but I wish Jim the best of luck.  Unless he was pumped for being a science-denying wiener.  In which case, whatever.

Dean