Singh hosts Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) on OMNI TV, possibly the only National Hockey League (NHL) game broadcasted in a language other than English or French.
Few of us can say that they stuck to their childhood aspirations. But Harnarayan Singh, a well-known sports broadcaster, did. “I still have a grade four project I did, where I had written, ‘When I grow up, I think I want to be a hockey commentator or critic’.”
Singh hosts Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) on OMNI TV, possibly the only National Hockey League (NHL) game broadcasted in a language other than English or French. A few months back, the Punjabi broadcaster got further recognition after his commentary on player Nick Bonino scoring a goal went viral and became a twitter sensation. What made this moment special for him was that “it just wasn’t the fans, but the team, players and coaches also enjoyed the call”.
The incident now occupies a special place in his heart: “It’s been such a memorable and special experience, especially being able to see how much publicity we received in the US because of it. I’ll never forget being able to surprise the Pittsburgh Penguins players in their dressing room, walking in saying Bonino-Bonino-Bonino, having Mario Lemieux chat about the call with us, and also, being a part of the championship celebrations with the fans there.”
Singh’s passion for hockey dates back to the time he learned how to walk. He recalls wearing Oiler’s pyjamas and the Gretzkey hockey sweater since his early school days. He began playing in school and continued to do so till junior high.
Meanwhile, he became more and more obsessed with learning everything about the sport. “I was memorizing the jersey numbers of players and team statistics, collecting countless hockey cards and always re-sorting them over and over again, while also trying to play the role of Gretzky in any ball hockey games I played. Through junior high and high school, I began winning a lot of fantasy hockey pools and I would live, breathe and speak hockey all day with my teachers and classmates,” recounts the Wetaskiwin-born.
According to his family, Singh was always a “storyteller” – that combined with his love for hockey got him interested in sports broadcasting as well. Whenever there was a game on, he would go all around the living room emulating commentators and analysts.
It was in high school that he got his first break – to cover the school’s news and sports on the local radio station in Brooks, Alberta. That is when he realized that he might have a shot in the industry.
Coming back to HNIC, each show requires long hours of preparation. Not only does Singh have to stay up to date on hockey news at all times, he has to make sure to follow the 30 different teams in the entire league. Preparing for each show is a process that begins about a week in advance. After having conference calls, the team decides what story lines will be focused on in the show.
“Basically, you want to be totally up to speed on what’s happening with the teams you’re covering. That includes stats but also story-lines in terms of injuries, contracts, who’s doing well, who isn’t, who’s playing with who, what’s working, what’s not and the reasons why,” he explains, “For a broadcaster, you want to have the player’s numbers and names memorized too because the game is played at such a fast speed, you can’t be second guessing who has the puck.”
Singh has been associated with the show for almost a decade now. Growing up as a hockey lover, he had not foreseen that hockey would be broadcast in Punjabi someday. Today however, when Punjabi is the third most spoken language in Canada, he sees it more as a need of the day then a want. “We receive feedback that Punjabi people have a stronger camaraderie at work now because they can participate in conversations about hockey,” he says.
It is also serving as a way for immigrant families to bond with their children and grandchildren and connect to Canadian culture. “Families tell us their grandparents adore the show because it’s a way for them to participate in Canadian culture. Not only is the show a need for the community though, the show is filling a massive void for the sport of hockey. I’ve met parents who’ve told me that their children are playing minor hockey after being inspired by the show,” says Calgary-based Singh.
The sports broadcaster feels that educating ethnically-diverse communities is something that hockey as a sport needs to do more of in order to diversify. The existence of opportunities is not as well-known due to which he feels that not as many children from minorities are participating. “For example, it’s talked about that hockey is an expensive sport. However, what’s a lesser known fact is that there are so many resources for families to help decrease the cost. You can easily get used equipment that is still in mint condition. There are programs that provide equipment free of cost to families who cannot afford it,” he explains.
Singh credits his team at HNIC for bringing hockey home to the Punjabi community. They try to combine food, humour, music and all other community characteristics into the show in order to help expand their fan base. “I do believe though, that it is just a matter of time before we start seeing more diverse names in the NHL. The Edmonton Oilers drafted Jujhar Khaira, who is originally from Surrey, and he played a number of games in the NHL last season and is looking to hopefully be a stalwart in the team’s lineup for years to come. There are more Punjabi players coming up through the junior ranks in the Western Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League,” he says summing up.