Mike Robitaille
Encyclopedia
Michael James David Robitaille (born February 12, 1948 in Midland, Ontario
) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
defenceman
. He played in the National Hockey League
with the New York Rangers
, Detroit Red Wings
, Buffalo Sabres
and Vancouver Canucks
. Currently, he works as a studio analyst on Buffalo Sabres hockey broadcasts on the MSG Network
with Rob Ray
and Kevin Sylvester
.
Robitaille played in 382 regular season NHL games, scoring 23 goals and adding 105 assists. He was most well known for his punishing hip checks. He also appeared in 13 playoff games, six with Buffalo and seven for Vancouver, tallying one assist. His career ended pre-maturely in 1977 when he was blind-sided by Dennis Owchar
of the Pittsburgh Penguins
, which caused nerve damage in his neck. He would later win a lawsuit against the Canucks for mistreating his injuries.
Robitaille was one of the founders of Hockey Hotline, the Buffalo Sabres' postgame show on Empire Sports Network
, in 1991 and has worked for the Sabres and various sister outlets ever since. He is known for his colorful analogies and exaggerations.
In recent years, Robitaille has been the fill-in commentator whenever Rick Jeanneret
, Jim Lorentz
, or Harry Neale
cannot fulfill their duties on a game day broadcast.
In February 2010, Robitaille was injured in a car accident suffering a spinal cord injury with neurological damage. Robitaille’s injuries from the accident resulted in him missing broadcast duties for the remainder of the 2009-2010 NHL season. Through months of rehabilitation since, doctors and Robitaille say that he is not at 100% yet as of September 2010. However he feels ready and will return to his broadcast duties in time for the start of the 2010-11 NHL season with the Sabres.http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article197360.ece
Midland, Ontario
Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada.Situated at the southern end of Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands, Midland is the economic centre of the region, with a 125-bed hospital and a local airport. It is the main town of the southern Georgian Bay area...
) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
. He played in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
with the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
and Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
. Currently, he works as a studio analyst on Buffalo Sabres hockey broadcasts on the MSG Network
MSG Network
The MSG Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. It is focused on New York City sports teams...
with Rob Ray
Rob Ray
Robert John Ray, nicknamed Rayzor is a Canadian sports broadcaster and former professional ice hockey player. He was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy by the National Hockey League in 1999 for leadership and humanitarianism....
and Kevin Sylvester
Kevin Sylvester (broadcaster)
Kevin Sylvester is the alternate television and radio play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network...
.
Robitaille played in 382 regular season NHL games, scoring 23 goals and adding 105 assists. He was most well known for his punishing hip checks. He also appeared in 13 playoff games, six with Buffalo and seven for Vancouver, tallying one assist. His career ended pre-maturely in 1977 when he was blind-sided by Dennis Owchar
Dennis Owchar
Dennis Owchar is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 288 games in the National Hockey League. He was born in Dryden, Ontario. He played with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Rockies.- External links :...
of the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, which caused nerve damage in his neck. He would later win a lawsuit against the Canucks for mistreating his injuries.
Robitaille was one of the founders of Hockey Hotline, the Buffalo Sabres' postgame show on Empire Sports Network
Empire Sports Network
Empire Sports Network was a regional sports network on cable television which served upstate New York from Buffalo to Albany, parts of northern Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio...
, in 1991 and has worked for the Sabres and various sister outlets ever since. He is known for his colorful analogies and exaggerations.
In recent years, Robitaille has been the fill-in commentator whenever Rick Jeanneret
Rick Jeanneret
Richard "Rick" Jeanneret is the television and radio play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network. Having started with the team on radio during the 1971–72 season, he is the longest-tenured announcer in the NHL...
, Jim Lorentz
Jim Lorentz
James Peter Lorentz, Jr. is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres. He won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 1970. He was the color analyst for the Sabres on the...
, or Harry Neale
Harry Neale
Harold Watson Neale is a hockey colour commentator, who currently works for the Buffalo Sabres on the Sabres Hockey Network...
cannot fulfill their duties on a game day broadcast.
In February 2010, Robitaille was injured in a car accident suffering a spinal cord injury with neurological damage. Robitaille’s injuries from the accident resulted in him missing broadcast duties for the remainder of the 2009-2010 NHL season. Through months of rehabilitation since, doctors and Robitaille say that he is not at 100% yet as of September 2010. However he feels ready and will return to his broadcast duties in time for the start of the 2010-11 NHL season with the Sabres.http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/article197360.ece
Personal life
Robitaille lives with his wife, Isabel, in the Buffalo area. When not working with the Sabres, Robitaille is the vice president of development and community affairs for his wife's company, Robitaille Real Estate.http://www.robrealestate.com/re_staff_mike_r.htm He has two daughters—Sarah, a salesperson with her mother's company http://www.robrealestate.com/24_Sarah_Robitaille-Kubiak.htm, and Anique, a recording artist in Toronto.http://www.myspace.com/aniquesmusicExternal links
- Cichon, Steve. The Mike Robitaille Birthday Mix. A compilation of some of Robitaille's commentary from his time on WNSA. Retrieved 2010-05-03.