Dave Hodge

Dave Hodge (born 1945, in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian sports announcer who currently works for TSN, and has worked in the past for the CBC and CFRB 1010 radio in Toronto.

Broadcasting career
Hodge served as play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Sabres broadcasts in their inaugural season 1970–71, before ceding those duties to current play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret and the late Ted Darling. Joining the CBC the following season, he hosted Hockey Night in Canada from 1971 until 1987, working 15 Stanley Cup Finals. He was often joined in the studio by colourful analysts, such as Howie Meeker and Don Cherry. He also announced the Toronto Argonauts Canadian Football League radio broadcasts from 1974-1980.

Controversy
On March 14, 1987, Hodge was the in-studio host as the CBC carried a game between the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs, which ended early. The network then switched over to a regional game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens for the end of the third period. It ended in a tie just before 11:00 PM Eastern Time, meaning it would require overtime. CBC executives, however, decided that only viewers in Quebec, who had seen the game from the start, would get to continue watching after 11:00, while the rest of the network would cut away. "That's the way things go these days in sports and at this network," Hodge said in disgust, flipping his pencil in the air. "We'll leave you in suspense. Good night from Hockey Night in Canada." Hodge was replaced the following week by western correspondent Ron MacLean and eventually fired from the network.

After the CBC
Afterward, he was hired by Can-West Global to host their coverage of the 1987 and 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs, which included some games in the finals. Hodge was then the lead play-by-play broadcaster for the CFL produced Canadian Football Network from 1987 to 1990. He returned to hockey as the lead voice of the Minnesota North Stars television broadcasts in 1991, and later hosted regional television broadcasts for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Global and TSN, and for the Vancouver Canucks on BCTV.

Currently, Hodge hosts a Sunday morning show called The Reporters, as well as providing commentary for the network's NHL coverage.