Jim “Boomer” Gordon had a well-known saying about hometown NHL broadcasts: “They should feel like comfort food.”
They should be familiar, warm, colloquial and speak to the audience they were meant to serve. In short, they should be a delight.
It’s hard to think of a better way to sum up what Gordon meant to his audience during his long career as host of “The Point” on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio.
Gordon died Monday after a long, courageous battle with cancer. He was 55 years old.
It didn’t take long for the tributes to pour in from across the hockey world.
“We are saddened by the passing of Jim ‘Boomer’ Gordon, a long-time host on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio,” the NHL said in a statement on X.
“Fans were entertained by his passion and benefited from his analysis of our game and knowledge of fantasy hockey. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.”
Gordon, who started as a producer and sat shotgun with Phil Esposito in the station’s early days, eventually was handed the keys to his own show, which became “The Point,” and took over the 1-3 p.m. ET slot during the season.
His encyclopedic knowledge of the NHL, hockey culture and the sport’s history quickly endeared him to an audience, many of whom were desperate for thorough, entertaining hockey coverage in an era where it was hard to come by, especially in the United States.
He was also a pioneer in the fantasy hockey space, putting aside an hour every week to do a nuanced, deep dive that fantasy nerds and casual fans ate up.
Gordon was especially cherished by hockey diehards in non-traditional markets for his ability to understand what mattered to them, and why, at any given point in a season.
Whether you were a fan in the Sun Belt or the hockey hotbed of Montreal, Boomer found a way to relate to you.
Affectionately known as “The Boom” by many of his listeners and guests, Gordon’s nickname was a bit of a misnomer. He rarely came across as sensationalistic, nor did he lean on providing “hot takes” just for the sake of it. If he shared an opinion, controversial or not, it meant he stood by it.
He was both a throwback and a breath of fresh air in that regard.
Given his affectionate personality and dry sense of humor, it’s no wonder that Boomer became friends with his guests over the years.
His show became appointment listening not because you never knew what he might say next, but because you did. It was comfort food, and he is already deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and listeners.