Jim Hughson's Last Call on Sportsnet

Roberto Luongo has seen his defensemen play like the ones I see when I play floor hockey and the team is in danger of missing the playoffs for the second time in three years.

But if you're a fan like me, hope springs eternal and until the headline, "Canucks out of playoffs" graces the cover of the sports page, I'm keeping the faith.

Even if you don't think the Ca-knuckle Heads will get an invite to the big dance, there is incentive to at least watch the final two Sportsnet Pacific (S-Pac) games against the Flames (tonight) and the Avs (Tuesday).

As Dave Roberts mentioned in an earlier post, Sportsnet's Jim Hughson will be doing his last Canuck play-by-play calls on the S-Pac.

Jim Hughson has long been associated with the Vancouver Canucks, being the one who:

- Replaced the immortal Jim Robson back in 1994/95 on radio broadcasts.

- Does regional Canucks games on Sportsnet.

Next season, Jim Hughson will work exclusively on CBC with Hockey Night in Canada (he has been doing the second part of HNIC) and Toronto Blue Jay telecasts.

It is thought that he will replace Bob Cole as CBC's [ahem] No. 1 play-by-play man which means, unless Vancouver is playing the Maple Leafs, we won't be hearing him call the Canucks.

If there is a silver lining to this, Jim Hughson knows how to pronounce Bieksa (Bee-ek-suh); that Mats and Markus Naslund are two entirely different players and the difference between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Team Canada.

Jim Hughson's last two Sportsnet Pacific broadcasts will be on channel 22 locally, 35 in Delta and 46 in Agassiz, Chilliwack and Harrison.