S2 Ep98: Remembering HNIC: Mark Askin and Glenn Adamo on the Innovations, the Icons, and the Legacy of Hockey Night

Remembering HNIC: Mark Askin and Glenn Adamo on the Innovations, the Icons, and the Legacy of Hockey Night

John Shannon sits down with two of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in Hockey Night in Canada history — longtime producer Mark Askin and former NHL Vice President of Broadcasting Glenn Adamo — for a fascinating look at how the show became a national institution.

Mark opens with his childhood memories of waiting for the broadcast to begin, a feeling shared by millions of Canadians, before pulling back the curtain on what it took to produce the most successful primetime sports show in North America. Glenn discusses his unique experience bringing American broadcasting standards to NHL coverage while being careful to honour the distinctly Canadian soul of Hockey Night. Together they trace the show's landmark innovations — the net camera, the infamous fox puck experiment, and the creation of Hockey Day in Canada — and reflect on the art of storytelling that defined the broadcast, built around celebrating the game's best players rather than dwelling on mistakes.

The conversation also touches on working with the legendary Don Cherry and how Hockey Night's approach to coverage quietly shaped and influenced American sports broadcasting for decades.