Canucks, CBC Resolve Differences; Team Ends Boycott Of "HNIC"

Canucks Believe CBC Did Not Present Burrows Fairly

The Canucks and the CBC "resolved their differences in a conference call Wednesday and Canuck players will again be doing interviews" Saturday on "Hockey Night in Canada," according to Elliott Pap of the VANCOUVER SUN. The disagreement began January 16 when the CBC's Ron MacLean "presented a one-sided piece on the Alex Burrows-Stephane Auger affair." When MacLean "refused to offer an apology to either Burrows or the Canucks, Canucks President & GM Mike Gillis told his players to decline all interview requests" for "HNIC's" January 23 telecast of Canucks-Blackhawks (VANCOUVER SUN, 1/28). CBC Sports Exec Dir Scott Moore: "It's fair to say we're putting the incident behind us. They expressed their views and we understand them. We have agreed to move forward." In Toronto, Chris Zelkovich notes "neither side would divulge what was said in the meeting or if an apology was offered" (TORONTO STAR, 1/28). The GLOBE & MAIL's Bruce Dowbiggin writes the resolution is a "huge relief" to "HNIC" -- which has been "playing defence on this story for almost two weeks." Sources said that the Canucks are "not happy but they will move on." However, Dowbiggin writes the team is likely "to monitor how they're covered" by the "HNIC" crew. The team "may also wrest some behind-the-scenes concessions" from "HNIC" as the CBC "tries to make nice to avoid alienating its West Coast mandate" (GLOBESPORTS.com, 1/28).