Welcome to Clear Breakaway

After 17 years as an NHL broadcaster, Bob McElligott's team decided not to renew his contract. In this first episode, he says thank you ... what's next.

Bob talks about the weeks since the news, the people who reached out, and the ones who told him they listened over the years driving an 18-wheeler, cleaning schools at night, working third shift at the plant, and tuning in to the Monday mailbag. Then he shares what he's been building: Clear Breakaway, an online platform that breaks from the way sports content usually gets made, usually with one announcer talking at the masses. He'll have opinions. He'd rather have a conversation. Hockey, baseball, football, basketball and sports in general are all on the table.

He also announces the first piece: a twice-weekly podcast with Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, starting this week. Training camp is open, there's a big question at the top of the roster, and Bob says there's no one he'd rather work through it with.

There's more coming in the next couple of weeks. For now what do you want to hear? Send your questions to clearbreakaway@gmail.com, we look forward to reading them.