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Former NHL broadcaster Jim Hughson calls out Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase
On July 17th, former NHL broadcaster Jim Hughson discussed the challenges of calling Toronto Maple Leafs games on Hockey Night in Canada. Hughson talked about the difficulty of balancing national and local expectations.
Hughson, hailing from Vancouver, explained that being the lead broadcaster on Hockey Night in Canada made him a de facto Maple Leafs broadcaster. In a guest appearance on the Sekeres and Price Podcast, he discussed the 2011 NHL season.
"One downside of having the top chair on Hockey Night in Canada is you basically become a Toronto Maple Leafs broadcaster," Hughson said. "Everyone in a local fanbase expects their broadcasters to be like them. It’s hard to win."
Hughson, who also called games for teams like the Vancouver Canucks, noted the differences in perception.
"Local people didn’t think I was a big enough fan, and others thought I was too much of a fan," he recalled. "When I broadcasted the Maple Leafs, fans wanted me to be just like them, and if I wasn’t, they assumed I hated the team."
He also mentioned how social media has made this challenge worse.
"As the years have gone by, I’ve noticed a real change in fandom. Part of it is social media, but it's just the way local fans expect their broadcasters to be like them," he said. "Now, you get judged every minute on social media, which has changed broadcasting entirely."
Despite these challenges, Hughson still holds fond memories of his career, especially the 2011 season.
Toronto Maple Leafs rank 24th-most liked NHL team
In a poll by JFreshHockey on 'X', the Toronto Maple Leafs ranked 24th out of 32 NHL teams in fan popularity. The Leafs won only 42.2% of 2,170 head-to-head matchups, placing them above just eight teams, including the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins.
This contrasts with The Athletic’s ranking of the Leafs as the eighth-most improved NHL team, due to free agency signings like Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Despite having star forwards like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares, the Leafs' overall popularity is low. The top five most-liked teams were the Colorado Avalanche, Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, and Vancouver Canucks.
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