Eric Cruikshank

✍🏻🎙️ @TheHockeyNews | TMU Sport Media Alum | CC Sports Journalism '24

[Brad Elliott Schlossman @SchlossmanGF]

Three of the WHL's Big Four are headed to the NCHC:
Carson Carels - North Dakota
Daxon Rudolph - Denver
Ryan Lin - Denver
Landon DuPont is now on the clock ⏰

[Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC]

Golden Knights docked a second-round pick and coach John Tortorella fined $100K

[A Gentleman @glenjaminc]

I know Jays suck right now, but I built this anyway:

https://t.co/mleGDWfGC6

It's a daily stats panel that uses Fangraphs, MLB Stats and Savant data to show a ton of interesting information. I'm constantly adding new things too.

I made this for the people, so RTs appreciated.

[The Hockey News @TheHockeyNews]

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard had 95 points and was not a Norris Trophy finalist: https://t.co/ViUMisIJwl

[Michael Traikos @Michael_Traikos]

Memo to the Leafs: Don't overthink this.

Do not trade down for more picks. Do not overreach and take a defenseman or centre. Don't get cute.

Just select McKenna with the No. 1 pick and be happy that you've got a younger & cheaper version of Mitch Maner.
https://t.co/5RNVj13SW6

[The Hockey News @TheHockeyNews]

The Dallas Stars had some concerning stats during the regular season, and the Minnesota Wild took advantage of them.

@cruuk explains: https://t.co/5gHfEP8LJe

[Jeff Passan @JeffPassan]

That game cannot end like that. A shame.

[Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC]

Asked Auston Matthews’ agent, Judd Moldaver about his response to the ruling.

Here is his reply:

“In light of the obvious severity of the play, I am disappointed and shocked the league would allow such a ruling. A phone hearing and 5 games is laughable and preposterous.

While the process is set in our CBA, that this was the discipline is reckless and ridiculous.

This decision results in a further loss of confidence in the disciplinary process for all players.

Players and fans deserve better. The Player Safety Department should be suspended.”

[Justin Bourne @jtbourne]

Hmm, the line of Lorentz-Quillan-Jarnkrok with Benoit-Stetcher seems to have been outplayed by Guentzel-Point-Kucherov with Hedman-Cernak on that second goal.

[JFresh @JFreshHockey]

team's are telling me that it's a buyer's and seller's market. people are out here buying and selling. some buy, some sell. if you're selling, there are buyers. if you're buying, keep your eye out because sellers got what you need

[Corey Pronman @coreypronman]

Top NHL draft prospect Ethan Belchetz will miss the remainder of the season due to an upper body injury.

[USA TODAY Sports @usatodaysports]

NHL mock draft 2026: Who goes first in pre-world juniors edition? https://t.co/jhUXPWlyyQ

[Mark Masters @markhmasters]

Team 🇨🇦 makes cuts

Forwards: Jake O'Brien, Marek Vanacker
Defence: Jackson Smith

@TSN_Sports

[Scott Wheeler @scottcwheeler]

Team Canada’s lines for Day 2 of World Junior camp:

McKenna - Beaudoin - Martone
Iginla - Cootes - Hage
Bear - Luchanko - Martin
Greentree - Desnoyers - O’Reilly
Vanacker - O’Brien - Reschny

Reid - Parekh
Aitcheson - Brunicke
Carels - Danford
Smith - Verhoeff
Mackenzie

[USA TODAY Sports @usatodaysports]

NHL mock draft 2026:
Who follows Gavin McKenna in December edition? https://t.co/sGspDAQJSZ

[Tre Kronor @Trekronorse]

JVM-truppen är här! 🔥

Förbundskapten Magnus Hävelid har tagit ut 26 spelare inför Junior-VM i Minnesota, USA. Målet är tydligt: utmana om guldet!

👉 https://t.co/4gXxJNyJnw

[The Hockey News @TheHockeyNews]

The Vancouver Canucks continue to slide down the NHL standings, and although it may feel like it's too early to look at the 2026 NHL draft, Tynan Lawrence appears to be a perfect fit, says @cruuk: https://t.co/Cb2DOoDBWh

[JD Bunkis @JDBunkis]

I don’t understand the reluctance to use Lauer

[Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie]

The trade is one for none.

Which is to say I’m exchanging my semi-retired TSN life of the last five years — doing the World Junior Championships, NHL Draft Rankings, a handful of Toronto Maple Leaf broadcasts, TradeCentre and Free Agent Frenzy — for a fully-retired life of doing absolutely nothing.

Well, nothing work related anyway.

Today’s Free Agent Frenzy is the last working day in a 48-year professional career that included stops at The Sault Star, The Globe and Mail, The Hockey News (twice), The Toronto Star, TSN, ESPN and NBC, amongst others.

It’s been quite a ride.

I’ll be 69 years old in August. I decided a few months ago it’s as nice a time as any to call it a career with the expiry of my current contract. If I had been so inclined to continue doing the World Juniors and draft rankings etc. at TSN, the opportunity was certainly there for me to do so. And I’m so grateful to TSN for that.

Honestly, though, I am looking forward to waking up on Christmas morning this year and NOT flying to Minneapolis-St. Paul for the World Juniors.

I’m also looking forward to doing more travelling with my wife Cindy; having more time to give my sons Mike and Shawn unwanted (and unneeded) advice; playing even more golf than I am now; and having my two wonderful grandchildren Blake and Gunnar running my show on a full-time basis.

After almost 50 years in the business, there are far too many people to thank individually, so I won’t even try to name any lest I leave some out.

Just know that I’ve been blessed to work for, work with and work against so many great people who gave me boundless opportunity, incredible support and intense motivation. The nearly five decades have gone by in the blink of an eye.

I certainly never set out to be the TSN Hockey Insider. It never occurred to me that I would work in television. All I wanted to be when I grew up was a hockey writer, to have a “job” to watch, write and talk about the game. You know, tell a few stories and try to capture the spirit of the thing.

Mission accomplished, I guess.

I couldn’t say goodbye now without a special thanks to everyone at TSN, past and present.

I first started showing up on the network in or around 1986-87. In the 1990s, I was working full-time hours at TSN but still had a full time newspaper job, too. Since 2000, 25 years ago, TSN has been my primary professional home.

It’s been a very special place on so many levels. The best part of TSN has always been the people. The best people doing the best work. What an honour to be one small part of the unsurpassed excellence that is TSN. Every time I’ve walked out of Studio Six at the end of Free Agent Frenzy on July 1, I’ve said to myself: “It doesn’t get any better than that.”

And it doesn’t. That’s especially true on this Canada Day because I’m so very proud to be a Canadian. 🇨🇦

I’m a very lucky guy. I owe the game of hockey, and all the people within it — the players, coaches, managers, executives, scouts, agents et al — so much; I owe my family and friends even more. 

Finally, thank you to anyone who has ever read, watched or listened to any of my work in any form at any outlet over the last 48 years. It’s been a privilege to share some information with you all, and try to have a few laughs along the way on social media or whatever they’re calling it these days.

I’ve cherished it all.

Fully Completely.

✌️and 💕 

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