Pierre McGuire was already a less-than-popular figure among hockey fans, and it’s safe to say he didn’t win too many more supporters Wednesday night. The NBC commentator was criticized for what some viewers regarded as “cringeworthy” interactions with U.S. women’s hockey star Kendall Coyne Schofield, who was serving as an analyst during a telecast of a Pittsburgh Penguins-Tampa Bay Lightning game.
After contributing to the pregame coverage on NBC Sports Network’s “Wednesday Night Hockey,” Coyne Schofield joined McGuire at his familiar rink-side perch, between the benches, for the first period. McGuire got things off to a very questionable start by making a show of pointing out to her that “Tampa’s going to be on your left. Pittsburgh’s going to be on your right,” as if she weren’t fully aware of that or couldn’t figure it out.
He followed that up with, “What are you expecting out of this game?” Gesticulating toward her with both hands, he added, “We’re paying you to be an analyst, not to be a fan tonight!”
"Tampa's going to be on your left, Pittsburgh's going to be on your right ... we're paying you to be an analyst, not be a fan tonight."
— Cristiano Simonetta (@CMS_74_) January 31, 2019
Pierre McGuire with a cringe-worthy exchange with Kendall Coyne Schofield (H/T @NHLBlinn). pic.twitter.com/sdaWBGd4DJ
Coyne Schofield, 26, not only has won Olympic gold and silver medals with Team USA, meaning that she probably knows a thing or two about hockey, but she was a communications major at Northeastern University and worked as a sideline reporter while at the school. So, you know, she was probably well aware that NBCSN hired her to provide some analysis and really didn’t need him to say much of anything, let alone some condescending gibberish, before she got to it.
Not surprisingly, the comments by McGuire, 57, sparked numerous negative reactions online.
JFC, Pierre mansplained hockey to a gold medalist in hockey. https://t.co/vwKtkll2zc
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) January 31, 2019
Ironically, the NHL, as an industry, is a bigger enemy to itself than any of us grieving families/friends will ever be
— Daniel Carcillo (@CarBombBoom13) January 31, 2019
Case in point, Pierre McGuire mansplaining the game of hockey to USA Olympian & gold medalist, Kendall Coyne Schofield@NHLonNBCSports @NHL #NHL #BellLetsTalk
I guarantee that Pierre didn’t say that to Brian Boucher once in his first runs as an analyst. No one told Paul Bissonnette that when he made his color debut. Treating Coyne as if she’s a kidcaster is embarrassing to watch.
— Catherine Silverman (@catmsilverman) January 31, 2019
Well, in fairness, Kendall Coyne was only an Olympic gold medalist and a five-time IIHF world champion but was never head coach of the Whalers for 12 minutes so really what ARE her qualifications to stand between two benches and talk about things she sees?
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) January 31, 2019
The look on Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Kendall Coyne Schofield’s face as Pierre McGuire, a man who coached the Hartford Whalers for like eight periods 25 years ago, attempts to explain to her how an NHL game works. pic.twitter.com/w5zE2QLHm0
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) January 31, 2019
More than a few observers were reminded of a moment between McGuire and Coyne Schofield just a few days earlier that many found objectionable. She had just become the first woman to compete at the NHL’s All-Star Game skills competition, turning in a solid performance in the fastest skater event, when he put his arms around her waist as she went by on the ice.
Uhhhhhh Pierre..? pic.twitter.com/5a4Xurc63J
— Hockey Central (@HockeyCentraI) January 26, 2019
It didn’t help that after McGuire told her at the event, “So, as you were skating by all these players, you know what they were doing? ‘Oh, my gosh, is she fast!’ ” He added, “Nobody wants to lose to you!”
“McGuire meant well, and Coyne Schofield replied graciously (‘Thanks, Pierre!’), but the patronizing turn sank a triumphant moment,” wrote the New Yorker’s Ben McGrath.
At Wednesday’s game, McGuire also gained notice for another comment to Coyne Schofield. When she joked that, unlike for the U.S.-Canada gold medal game at the 2018 Olympics, she didn’t have “a cage on” for Penguins-Lightning, he said, “I’ll be your cage tonight, how’s that?”
"I'll be your cage tonight, how's that?
— Cristiano Simonetta (@CMS_74_) January 31, 2019
Pierre, please just stop. pic.twitter.com/trmTyYLKob
Kendall Coyne Schofield, gold medalist between the benches: I usually have a cage on!
— Andrew Weiss (@Weiss_NW) January 31, 2019
Pierre: I'll be your cage tonight! pic.twitter.com/UmKPtBO1H2
"I'll be your cage tonight, hows that." - Pierre to Kendall
— Nikita Zaitsev appreciator (@HardevLad) January 31, 2019
I'm gonna barf. pic.twitter.com/6wJTnkgbBC
Fortunately for all concerned, Coyne Schofield moved up after the first period to the announcers' booth, as previously planned, where she was seated with NBCSN’s John Forslund and Eddie Olczyk. Before the game, she had said (via NHL.com), “I’m excited to learn in between the glass with Pierre and go up in the booth with John and Eddie, and just experience them at their best.”
“It’s a huge transition, but I’m looking at it in the same regard as I just want to be myself, showcase my personality,” Coyne Schofield added, “and prove to the world that women can talk sports, women can talk hockey, and we know the game as well as the men.”
One might have hoped that, even if there are some who still required such proof, none of them would have been wearing microphones for NBCSN’s telecast, but here we are. It’s likely that, at this point, more than a few hockey fans would be willing to pay McGuire just to be a fan — and not to be an analyst.
Can she just replace Pierre?
— Populus tremuloides (@SultanofCold) January 31, 2019
Thanks,
All hockey fans https://t.co/EkkISAnWEk
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