Krupsky serves multi-faceted role
for OHL's Plymouth Whalers

BY ED WRIGHT
Jan. 25, 2010, 11:55 p.m.

  Pete Krupsky's most visible job with the Plymouth Whalers' Ontario Hockey League franchise is that of its widely-respected radio broadcaster, a position he's held since the inaugural 1990-91 season.

  However, Krupsky's daily responsibilities go well beyond relaying the team's play-by-play action. He also serves as the club's director of communications, a role that involves writing everything from press releases to internet blogs.

  Krupsky, who lives in Rockwood with his wife Twyla and son Gordon, took a few moments out of his busy schedule one recent afternoon to talk to PlymouthCantonSports.com's Ed Wright.

ED WRIGHT: What is the favorite part of your job?

PETE KRUPSKY: I love broadcasting the games and everything that goes into that, but the favorite part of my job is anticipating coming into work pretty much every day knowing that I'm going to have fun. That's the enjoyable part of this job.

EW: What's the toughest part of your job?

PK: Trying to get media in Detroit to cover us. For a lot of years, talking to the media in this town, I might as well be talking a foreign language. Just to get the media out here and to get them to see our product is the hardest thing.

EW: Talk about the preparation that you put in leading up to a game?

PK: It's really a constant thing, to be honest. The first thing every morning I visit a local breakfast spot, buy both the News and Free Press to see what's going on. Once I get in the office, I put together a package of press notes of stories from around the league and the NHL for the coaching staff and for the management staff. I also use these notes for myself. It's not like I just take some time out before every game to study the team the Whalers are about to play. It's an ongoing process.

EW: What your take on the Whalers' season so far?

PK: After the trades Mike Vellucci has made, and now that we have most of our players back healthy, I'm very optimistic. The new guys bring a great veteran presence and they've blended in very well with the rest of the team. Robbie Czarnik and Tyler Seguin are meshing very well. In the past two weeks, we've played three of the top-rated teams in the Canadian Hockey League. We lost to Barrie, 4-2, but we beat Windsor, 7-4, and then we went into Mississauga and took care of business against the St.Michael's Majors.

EW: Who are some of your favorite announcers?

PK: There are a lot of guys I like to listen to. My favorite is probably Chris Cuthbert from TSN.  I also like Jim Hughson from Hockey Night in Canada, and Mike Emrick, who calls games for the New Jersey Devils, Versus and NBC. My style is probably closer to Cuthbert and Hughson than Emrick. Emrick calls it a little different way. To be honest, I like to listen to a full gamut of speakers, from preachers to people on TV. You can learn something from all of them.

  Ed Wright can be reached at info@plymouthcantonsports.com or (734) 453-1980.