Canadian broadcast legend Bob Cole will be back in the broadcast booth for his 50th and final year on Hockey Night in Canada, beginning with the first Saturday of the NHL season next month.

Cole is scheduled to call 10 games, all of which will come in the first half of the 2018-19 season. Cole’s first game of the year will be on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday, Oct. 6 for the game between Montreal and Pittsburgh. Further details of a tribute in his honour will be announced at a later date.

“Hockey has been my passion for as long as I can remember,” said Cole. “It’s been an honour and a privilege serving Canadian hockey fans across the country and being part of the Hockey Night in Canada institution. I’m looking forward to getting to the rinks for this last season, seeing familiar faces and getting out there to do what I love most in the world.”

Beginning his hockey-broadcasting career with VOCM radio in his hometown of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Cole moved into television in 1973. In addition to 50 years on Hockey Night in Canada, Cole has also called hockey play-by-play for multiple Olympic Games. Cole is a Gemini-award winning broadcaster, a member of the Order of Canada and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996 as a recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence.

“There are so few broadcasters and voices in sport that transcend the way Bob’s has over the last half a century and we are honoured to have him call this last season for Sportsnet on Hockey Night in Canada,” said Scott Moore, President, Sportsnet & NHL Properties. “Bob is a true professional in this industry and he will pour his heart and soul into these games, focusing on doing the job that he loves and delivering the call to our hockey audiences from coast-to-coast.”