James Cybulski香蕉视频直播檚 voice can be heard in basements and bedrooms of hockey fans around the world, and he still can香蕉视频直播檛 quite believe he香蕉视频直播檚 in his third year of being the play-by-play guy of EA Sports香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淣HL香蕉视频直播� video game.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a total dream come true,香蕉视频直播� the Delta-based broadcaster said with the kind of enthusiasm he brings to the popular game.
The latest edition, was released in mid-October with Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews on the box cover 香蕉视频直播� again, for the second time since 2020.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檇 say you aren香蕉视频直播檛 the only one saying, 香蕉视频直播榃hat, AGAIN?! He was on the cover just two years ago!香蕉视频直播� Cybulski said with a laugh, in a phone call.
香蕉视频直播淢y vote for Ryan Reaves was clearly ignored,香蕉视频直播� he deadpanned on Instagram back in August.
The video game offers 香蕉视频直播渁 huge leap forward in graphics香蕉视频直播� and the arrival of Superstar X-Factors, which 香蕉视频直播渦nlocks the unique skills of the league香蕉视频直播檚 most elite players,香蕉视频直播� raves . 香蕉视频直播淭his is breakthrough hockey.香蕉视频直播�
(Story continues below)
EA香蕉视频直播檚 NHL title has been part of Cybulski香蕉视频直播檚 life for more than a quarter-century, starting in his old Ottawa 香蕉视频直播榟ood.
香蕉视频直播淚 played the game as a kid, in the early- to mid-香蕉视频直播�90s,香蕉视频直播� he recalled. 香蕉视频直播淚 played 香蕉视频直播楴HL 94香蕉视频直播� on my Sega Genesis (game system), then evolved to playing on the PC around 香蕉视频直播楴HL 98,香蕉视频直播� then converted myself to become a PlayStation guy. It香蕉视频直播檚 funny, I香蕉视频直播檝e always been an NHL video game guy, whether it香蕉视频直播檚 playing as a teenager, or you know, playing in the my 20s and then even into my 30s, coming home after having way too many with my buddies and than trash-talking. You know, 香蕉视频直播極K, let香蕉视频直播檚 turn on the (game system) and let香蕉视频直播檚 go, let香蕉视频直播檚 settle this!香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
The game graphics have come a long way since those early days, of course 香蕉视频直播� and so has Cybulski.
He stick-handled his way into sports broadcasting and show hosting for TV and radio outlets over the past couple of decades, both here and in Toronto, and recently landed a job calling games for the AHL香蕉视频直播檚 Abbotsford Canucks.
Turns out, being a play-by-play broadcaster was Cybulski香蕉视频直播檚 desire all along.
香蕉视频直播淭he whole reason I wanted to get into the (broadcasting) business was to be a play-by-play guy, that was always the dream,香蕉视频直播� he explained. 香蕉视频直播淥ut of school, I had a chance to call Ottawa 67s games, on the radio for awhile. The whole time through high school, I volunteered at community television while going to school and working, for about six years there.
香蕉视频直播淚 did it to get my reps, and any opportunity that presented itself, I would do,香蕉视频直播� Cybulski added. 香蕉视频直播淚 called ringette championships, university football games, basketball, karate tournaments, a pre-Olympic boxing tournament in 1992. I did minor hockey games, touch football, lacrosse games 香蕉视频直播� a whole bunch of different sports, and I was young, all between the age of 17 and 23, in Ottawa, growing up.香蕉视频直播�
(Story continues below)
Three years ago, Cybulski auditioned for EA three times and ultimately got the gig as voice of the company香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播淣HL香蕉视频直播� game.
香蕉视频直播淚t was honestly the most amazing moment,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭om, I香蕉视频直播檝e been honoured to do some pretty cool, amazing things in my career, experiences and opportunities in my life, but man, this opportunity to be the voice of a video game franchise I grew up playing, so iconic, it香蕉视频直播檚 just amazing to me.香蕉视频直播�
He follows in the footsteps of some broadcasting 香蕉视频直播渓egends,香蕉视频直播� including Jim Hughson, Gary Thorne and Mike 香蕉视频直播淒oc香蕉视频直播� Emrick.
香蕉视频直播淎nd then it香蕉视频直播檚 like, 香蕉视频直播榃hat the hell香蕉视频直播檚 Cybulski doing here?香蕉视频直播� he said with a laugh. 香蕉视频直播淏ut the feedback has been really good, very positive. It香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of fun, but a lot of work, too.香蕉视频直播�
Cybulski香蕉视频直播檚 voice work for the latest game was all done at his Tsawwassen home, due to the pandemic. Basically, he cleared out a bunch of kids香蕉视频直播� toys and covered the office walls with foam.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 where I scream and shout a lot,香蕉视频直播� he noted.
(Story continues below)
PICTURED: Broadcaster James Cybulski at his Delta home with a framed copy of the 香蕉视频直播淣HL 22香蕉视频直播� video game autographed by Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews, who is on the box cover. (submitted photo)
His contract with EA calls for up to 300 hours of voice work annually, which translates to a couple days a week, usually four-hour sessions, adding content where needed.
香蕉视频直播淥ne day it might be a 香蕉视频直播榩hone book,香蕉视频直播� as they call it, which is essentially going through name after name. Not long ago there was a day where we added close to a thousand names to the game, and it香蕉视频直播檚 making sure you have, A, the right pronunciation, and B, the consistency in energy level,香蕉视频直播� Cybulski explained.
香蕉视频直播淚f you香蕉视频直播檙e going, 香蕉视频直播楶asses the puck to Singh, passes the puck to Jones, passes the puck to Zillich,香蕉视频直播� you know, you want to make sure your energy level is the same all the way through, so that it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 sound like a 1990s version of movie phone, that old automated voice 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播�Please press 1.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 maintaining the baseline of energy to be consistent,香蕉视频直播� he continued. 香蕉视频直播淪o we do those, and one day it might be rattling off names, another day might be all goal calls. All those situational plays in hockey that are so common that you don香蕉视频直播檛 even think about, we do all those 香蕉视频直播� entering the offensive zone, gaining the line, but saying that 10 different ways without sounding the exact same. You can be a little cheeky sometimes while also being mindful to stay consistent with the traditional broadcast. We can kind of pick our spots to have some fun, too.香蕉视频直播�
(Story continues below)
WHAT A MOMENT!
香蕉视频直播� Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Justin Bailey's 100th career AHL goal and the first home goal in the history of the . on the call 馃帣锔�
Cybulski香蕉视频直播檚 game call isn香蕉视频直播檛 for everyone, and he knows that. He brings an energy some find too over-the-top,
香蕉视频直播淚 think broadcasting is subjective, right, and for a broadcaster, you香蕉视频直播檙e providing that soundtrack for people,香蕉视频直播� he suggested. 香蕉视频直播淵ou know, some people like something more subtle, but for me, personally, I香蕉视频直播檝e always been drawn to the energy. To me, from a broadcasting standpoint, I香蕉视频直播檓 kind of a salesman, I香蕉视频直播檓 selling an event.
香蕉视频直播淲hen I look at it from an NHL video game standpoint, I want it to be exciting because quite frankly, it香蕉视频直播檚 the biggest thing in your life at that very moment, your focus. So I want people to feel like it香蕉视频直播檚 the biggest game of their lives, in that world, in that moment. That香蕉视频直播檚 the approach I go for, to have that feeling of it being the biggest game. It香蕉视频直播檚 about being entertained.香蕉视频直播�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on and follow Tom on
