James Duthie, a name synonymous with sports in Canada, has cultivated the craft of sports journalism. He, alongside Bob McKenzie, Gord Miller, and Darren Dreger have defined the network of TSN over the last 20 years.
He holds an impressive resume featuring broadcasting awards by the Canadian Screen Award as Best Sports Host in 2014, Best Sports Feature in 2016 for his work on “The Butterfly Child” and most notably a three-time Gemini Award Winner for his work in 2009’s NHL Trade Deadline coverage, Vancouver 2010 Olympics and as the host for the 2011 NHL All-Star Games. He has a career that transcends broadcasting by writing several books: “They Call Me Killer,” “The Day I (Almost) Killed Two Gretzky’s,” and “The Guy on the Left.”
The James Duthie of Gloucester High School would not have believed that the reason he would become a household name in sports is not as an athlete, but as a member of the media.
“I played football in high school, and I was under some illusion that I was going to become a pro football player, which looking back at was kind of laughable because I’m like 5’10”, about 155 pounds, mediocre speed, so I thought at least I could be a gym teacher and go to McGill.”
Opting out of McGill, the Ottawa born Duthie reconsidered. He applied to the Journalism program at Carleton University, graduating in 1989. To his dismay, he couldn’t find any network that was hiring a sports anchor. Instead, he turned to local news, covering Ottawa and its nearby townships. Here, he would flourish in local media and win an International Edward R. Murrow Award for his reporting.
“I couldn’t get a job in sports, there just weren’t that many, so I got a job as a news reporter instead and spent 5-6 years covering murderers, fires and doing all those things that news reporters did. In fact, when I transitioned into sports, I think I had a leg up on some guys who had just gone into sports since I had so much experience covering a bunch of different things.”
In 1995, tragedy struck Ottawa. Brian Smith played 67 games in the NHL and post-retirement he became a sports broadcaster for CTV Ottawa. On August 1st, Brian was shot and killed in the parking lot of CTV Ottawa, minutes after the network aired their 6pm news. He was heading to a fund-raising event for the Children’s Wish Foundation.
“That’s when I moved into sports full-time after Brian passed. It was one of the saddest moments in my life, so it was not the way that I wanted to get my big break.”
After such a tragic incident, James never felt comfortable hosting Ottawa’s sports news. Instead, he auditioned for TSN, who was looking for anchors at the time. Six months post audition and after finding a new local news position in Vancouver, TSN called back asking for a new host for their CFL and NBA coverage. In 1998 James Duthie began at TSN, and in 2001 he officially accepted the host position for hockey.
“I’d always wanted to work for TSN, but I didn’t necessarily want the hockey job at the time. Two days before the start of the season around 2000-2003, they called me in and said do you want to host hockey, and that was how I got it. One of the many fortunate breaks in my career.”
Since accepting the position as a hockey host, James’s career has flourished. By 2020 he had hosted countless NHL Drafts, World Juniors, NHL Trade Centre Deadline Shows, Olympics, Super Bowls, Master’s, Grey Cups, and many more.
Since accepting the position as a hockey host, James’s career has flourished. By 2020 he had hosted countless NHL Drafts, World Juniors, NHL Trade Centre Deadline Shows, Olympics, Super Bowls, Master’s, Grey Cups, and many more.
It would be difficult to find someone that has covered as many events that would be forever etched into the memories of Canadians.
“I was 30 feet away from where Crosby scored, we had this funky little set right up behind the American goal. I was a real Olympic nut growing up, and to be able to cover and host The Olympics in Canada was definitely one of my biggest thrills.”
When reflecting on the lengthy career in sports, it’s not the big names that define his career, or the relationships he has with the players he interviews, it’s his on-air charm.
James Duthie has an incredible ability to perfectly word career-defining moments. His humor and humility are the same on the air as they are off.
“It’s not life or death, sports are a distraction. But, if you’ve just been in sports your whole life, and that’s your career, sometimes I think that’s forgotten. I’m 54 now, and I’ve been at this for thirty years, so I’m fully aware that you never know when you’re going to be your last Masters, your last World Juniors or whatever that may be, so I certainly I don’t take them for granted.”
In an industry filled with former athletes, it’s Duthie’s sensitive approach that stands out. In 2014, TSN lost a majority of their rights to air NHL Hockey on their network. In what would be grim news for most, wasn’t for James.
“The one fortunate thing about when we lost the national rights to air hockey about 6 years ago, was I got to go back to start doing other sports again. I started doing The Masters, and The Super Bowl, as well as The Grey Cup. I like that I actually still get to do hockey, maybe not everybody in all parts of the country gets to see us as much as they used to, but I really enjoy a job where I get to do football and basketball.”
TSN, with their roster of insiders, has become the de facto network to cover the NHL, not just to Canadians, but for all hockey fans. An enormous part of this is their annual, James Duthie hosted, NHL Trade Deadline show.
“I used to prepare like crazy for TradeCentre like it was a bar exam or something, and now I barely prepare at all just because I would realize that I would never use any of that. Your preparation is just watching all the games and reading everything you can.”
The yearly shows have their staff starting their shifts at a brisk 5am and ending late into the night. It’s a live sports event like no other, and an anxiety-inducing day that would spin out of control if it wasn’t for their calm and collected host.
“You’re flying blind without any scripts, never knowing what’s going to happen. So, this certainly encourages a lot of awkward moments and possible screw-ups, but I think I’ve come to embrace that more over the years. It’s a just a day to hang around with a bunch of guys who are really good at hockey or some that really know what they’re talking about.”
Despite the pressure that would come with covering Canada’s favorite game for 20 years, James Duthie has never cracked. His involvement with TSN has led him to become an ambassador for a variety of organizations where he uses his success to noble use. It has involved him with the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada, where they tackle poverty in developing countries. While most recently partnering with Hockey Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser and actor Ryan Reynolds in a “Conquer Covid-19” initiative to deliver PPE to the medical front lines.
Fittingly, our conversation had to be cut short. An episode of TSN’s Insider Trading was about to air, featuring TSN’s top insiders to discuss all things NHL. Scrambling to get ready while on speakerphone, our conversation went until the camera’s started rolling. While maybe not a pioneer in his field, James Duthie has undoubtedly become a staple for Canadian television and the TSN network.
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