TNT's Jody Shelley on NHL playoffs: 'Everyone's locked in on every play' | Arace
There is something about being there, live, at an NHL playoff game. The experience is akin to a reverse mitosis – by the time the puck drops, the building is one organism, pulsing with energy.
Jody Shelley, the Blue Jackets’ color analyst, has been swept away by it again this spring.
“There’s a kind of juice, a certain atmosphere,” said Shelley. “It’s so much fun. Everyone’s locked in on every play – players, fans and broadcasters. It’s everyone.”
As a player, the deepest Shelley went in the postseason was the semifinal round of the QMJHL playoffs in 1997, when his Halifax Mooseheads lost to goaltender Marc Denis’ Chicoutimi Sagueneens. (Denis’ Sagueneens were swept by the Hull Olympiques in the final.)
Shelley was the paragon of enforcement for the early Blue Jackets. He was traded to the San Jose Sharks in January 2008, 15 months before the Jackets made their first playoff appearance. (They were swept from the first round by the Detroit Red Wings.)
Shelley played for the Jackets, Sharks, New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers during his 12-year NHL career. He played on some pretty good teams, including a Presidents’ Trophy-winning team in San Jose. But as a player, he never made it out of the second round of the playoffs. Which makes him a quintessential Blue Jacket.
He covered the John Tortorella Jackets as they advanced to the playoffs five times in seven years between 2013-2020 and won one round.
“Do you remember what it was like when the Blue Jackets finished sweeping Tampa Bay in Nationwide Arena (in 2019)?” Shelley said. “Remember how powerful that was? It’s hard to replicate that. Every fan base has so much hope, and storylines can change so quick. … There’s nothing like it. It’s breathtaking to be there.”
As Shelley’s stature as a broadcaster has risen over the years, his services have been sought by the major networks for playoff coverage. He has worked for NBC, the NHL Network and, of course, Fox/Bally. This year, he has traversed the continent on behalf of TNT Sports and worked with play-by-play men Kenny Albert, John Forslund and Jim Jackson and fellow analyst and close friend Brian Boucher.
“Veterans,” Shelley said. “Pro’s pros. Those play-by-play guys, it’s eye-opening the cadence they rock with and how they set up the analysts. They’re so good. It’s all a blast. One night after we finished up, we all got together – Kenny, Bouch, Sam Rosen (the Rangers’ play-by-play man), Chuck Kaiton (Hall of Fame radio broadcaster) – to watch the late game. The stories were flying. We were laughing our …”
Shelley did not elaborate further.
He feels he’s continuing to mature as a broadcaster as he gets more reps. He revels conducting one-on-one background interviews with coaches such as Paul Maurice of the Florida Panthers, Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes and Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights. And the games are a thrill. Players and on-ice officials are visiting him between the benches during stoppages. They’re giving him nuggets he can use on-air, like details on why a play is being reviewed. Thank you, Rangers Vincent Trocheck, for that tip.
“I talked to Chris Kreider before Game 6, and he said he’d have better answers for me after the game,” Shelley said.
Kreider scored a natural hat trick in the third period of the Rangers’ series-clinching victory over the Hurricanes last week. Shelley interviewed Kreider on the bench right after the game.
“I’m always learning,” Shelley said. “This is a little thing, but it happens all the time: I didn’t know (Vegas star) Jack Eichel, but I had a preconceived notion. Talking to him for a half hour gave me a completely different impression of him. I love that part of it. When your playing career ends, you’re part of a fraternity. But as a broadcaster, you’re not. Not really. You’re part of a national broadcast as well as a former player.”
The Blue Jackets’ TV play-by-play position is vacant after the retirement of longtime voice Jeff Rimer. Shelley has been calling mock games with potential candidates for Rimer’s job. He will not mention any names.
“It’s hard to find a guy with the experience, love of the Blue Jackets and knowledge of the community like Jeff Rimer,” Shelley said, “It’s exciting to see who becomes the next face.”
Yes, Shelley hasn’t gotten to be where he is without a keen sense of political savvy. Asked about the conference finals – Panthers-Rangers in the East and Dallas Stars-Edmonton Oilers in the West – Shelley said he likes Dallas and the Rangers. Then, he quickly caught himself and said, “I love them all.”
“You could pick any of the four to win it all,” Shelley said. Which is true.
“To me the Rangers losing in the first round last year is driving them, and there’s the (Matt) Rempe (goon/excitement) factor,” he said. “How do you count out Florida? They’re looking to build on last year, when they lost in the final.
“Dallas has a little bit of everything, and there’s the (Joe) Pavelski factor. He’s late in his career and he has never won a Cup, and things in the locker room are pretty spirited. Edmonton has the most pressure. They’ve got guys who don’t know if they’re going to stick around, but now Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are in the conference final.”
Edmonton has nine players who will be unrestricted free agents this summer, not counting Draisaitl (UFA next year) and McJesus (UFA in 2027).
Shelley is something of a middle-six broadcaster with TNT. He has yet to receive an assignment for a game in the conference finals and he doesn’t expect to. Not this year.
Put another way, Shelley probably won’t make it out of the second round this year. He, like the teeming masses of forlorn fans, believes – because belief is better than hope – this quintessence will change in the future.
Get more on the Blue Jackets by listening to our podcast
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: A peek at NHL Stanley Cup playoffs through eyes of Columbus analyst
