Steve Lorini

Marketing Professor. Talker. Laugher. Hockey Player. Traveler. views expressed are my own.

[Nike @Nike]

Priorities unchanged. Another major secured.

The wins keep coming on and off the course for Scottie Scheffler

[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 💕 

-30-

[Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC]

I think about this every day, but especially today. Happy Father’s Day — our most important job

[Columbus Blue Jackets @BlueJacketsNHL]

Johnny Gaudreau
Aug. 13, 1993 – Aug. 29, 2024

[Stan Arnold @StanArnold12]

There are more Panda Express restaurants than pandas. #Funfact

[Humber Alumni @HumberAlumni]

Tareq Hadhad is a Top 50 CEO in Atlantic Canada and the Founder of Peace Chocolate. Arriving in Canada in 2015 as a newcomer from Syria, he’s been named one of the Top 25 Immigrants in the Maritimes, was awarded RBC’s top Immigrant Award and Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020 and received Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Passionate about peace and entrepreneurship, @TareqHadhad's story is one of perseverance and is highlighted in a feature film titled @Peacebychoco, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. He has spoken at the Summit of the Americas, Amnesty International’s Human Rights Conference, and TEDx events and was recently awarded Atlantic Business Magazine’s 30 under 30 Innovators.

Congratulations to Tareq on another tremendous accomplishment receiving a @humbercollege Honorary Degree!

[NBA @NBA]

STEPHEN vs. SABRINA WAS A MOVIE.

Sabrina Ionescu opened on fire and dropped 26... before Stephen Curry came through in the clutch to win it with 29!

Enjoy. 🍿

[Canadian Blood Services @CanadasLifeline]

This fall, when Darryl (@DobberHockey) saw his blood counts dropping at every visit to the doctor’s office, he sunk into despair. He knew what was coming because he’d been through it before. The cancer he worked so hard to beat in 2017 had returned. 1/5 🧵

[Humber Polytechnic @HumberPoly]

Humber acts in solidarity with groups, like The 519, that are leading counter protests against hate, as well as the policies and guidelines that could have negative and possibly dangerous consequences for 2SLGBTQ+ youth.

Read our message: https://t.co/Xi5CJdwaZx

[Kenneth Ku @KenKuPastryChef]

Our Humber Baking and Pastry Arts Students are gearing up for the opening of the CNE @LetsGoToTheEX this morning Live on @CP24Breakfast Our Alumni and Students will be creating innovative cupcakes this year @humbercollege @HumberBusiness #Entrepreneurship

[Humber Polytechnic @HumberPoly]

There's no shortage of energy and excitement at the Toronto Congress Centre as our grads celebrate their achievements. Congrats to the Class of 2023!

Remember to use #HumberGrad in your posts so that your message appears on the big screen at the event 🎉🎓

[Humber Polytechnic @HumberPoly]

We’re marking the start of #PrideMonth with the raising of the Pride and Trans flags at our campuses. 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

#Pride2023 events will take place throughout June. Get the full calendar at https://t.co/EFEwhMdvQM

[Ann Marie Vaughan (she/her/hers) @amvaughan]

There’s a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air as we kick off the first day of the summer term @humbercollege Best of luck and I look forward to seeing everyone around campus!

[Sportsnet @Sportsnet]

"It’s about saying this community is valuable and important and we want to honour them."

Brian Burke joined Ron MacLean to discuss Pride Nights across the NHL and supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

[Black Girl Hockey Club @BlackGirlHockey]

Seven talented athletes were the recipients of our scholarship this winter season. Read more about these athletes and how BGHC, in partnership with @BauerHockey, worked in partnership to award these athletes ⤵️

[Humber Polytechnic @HumberPoly]

A warm welcome to those attending #EVIT2023 at the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation today! We are excited to follow along as @ElectricAutonmy & @NGen_Canada bring together the brightest minds working to accelerate and transform electric vehicle manufacturing in Canada.

[MKTGHumber @MKTGHumber]

Marketing students - track Super Bowl campaigns on YouTube! See article here. 🏈

[Humber Today @HumberToday]

'An investment in the future of Humber students': @humbercollege is the recipient of a $30 million gift from the Barrett Family Foundation – the largest gift ever to an Ontario college.

Read more in Humber Today: https://t.co/IA9CQIeleA

@HumberAlumni

[Devin Heroux @Devin_Heroux]

BLIND HOCKEY SERIES

Players must have only 10 per cent vision or less, and goalies must be completely blind.

The puck is larger and made of metal. It has ball bearings in it so it rattles and players can locate it. Here’s some of the action.

@hockeynight @CDNBlindHockey

[Goodable @Goodable]

This is Damar Hamlin's toy fundraiser.

Let's be good together.

Life is bigger than sports 🙏🙏

https://t.co/suqK9o2aAi