TSN’s McKenzie to begin ‘semi-retirement’ after NHL draft lottery

One of the longest-serving and most well-respected reporters in hockey isn’t calling it a career quite yet, but his days as an insider appear to be nearing an end.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie, who’s covered the game for more than three decades, revealed Monday he’ll begin a “semi-retirement” following the NHL’s second and final phase of the draft lottery.

McKenzie joined TSN in 1986 after starting his journalism career with print publications including the Toronto Star and The Hockey News.

He’s reported and provided analysis on TV and across digital platforms for events such as the NHL draft, free agency, the trade deadline, and the World Junior Hockey Championship.

McKenzie also signed on as a contributor with NBCSN after TSN lost national NHL broadcasting rights in Canada to Sportsnet in 2014.

The Professional Hockey Writers Association honored McKenzie in 2015 with the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, bestowed annually “in recognition of distinguished members of the hockey-writing profession whose words have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.”