After 46 years behind a computer (or typewriter), The Athletic ’s Eric Duhatschek is retiring. He documented his long and illustrious career in his final Friday notebook column today but we wanted to honor him as well. We reached out to many friends, colleagues and former players and executives he covered to share their memories of Eric and send along well wishes.
Here’s what they had to say. GO DEEPER After 46 years as a sportswriter, Eric Duhatschek is signing off This is my 30th year as a hockey writer, starting at age 21 in 1995 at the Sun-Sentinel covering the Panthers , then onto the Star Tribune and The Athletic covering the Wild. I grew up in a day and age where young writers needed mentors and I was lucky enough to have legends like Eric Duhatschek, Jim Matheson, Tony Gallagher, Cam Cole, George Johnson, John Dellapina, Larry Brooks and so many others to look up to and aspire to be like.
Advertisement The one thing about Eric that I’ll never forget is despite my age and greenness, he always treated me like a veteran, from the start of my career to the end of his. He treated me with the utmost respect and kindness, which is something I never took for granted. I got to watch how respected he was by the people he covered, from the players and coaches to the managers and owners.
It showed me the importance of cultivating sources but doing so with grace, hard work and a passion for the game we cover. Nobody loved this sport more than Eric, and it showed in everythin.
