It was a head-scratching moment to hear that Eddie Olczyk planned to leave the Chicago Blackhawks' broadcasting booth for good.
Olczyk was born and raised in Chicago. He grew up watching the Blackhawks on TV and then he was drafted by them in 1984. And then he started a 16-year long broadcasting journey with them in 2006.
And it all came to an end. The decision left Hawks' fans confused.
The facts are simple. Olczyk's contract expired on June 30. The Hawks and Olczyk reached a verbal agreement to create another contract before then. Once the time came, the longtime broadcaster initiated meetings with Rocky and Danny Wirtz and Jaime Faulkner.
They couldn't come to terms on a new contract.
The Hawks offered him one, but Olczyk decided it was time for him to leave.
"It was a decision that I wrestled with for a while," Olczyk said on Unfiltered while talking to Pat Boyle. "I had a great meeting earlier today with Rocky Wirtz and had a great meeting with Danny Wirtz and Jaime Faulkner. I just expressed to them that I felt at this particular time it was best for me step away. There was a contract offer on the table. This is my decision. I want to make that perfectly clear this was my decision."
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It started with multiple reports detailing that he was stepping away. And the rumor mill started swirling. Olczyk explained he tried to keep a "low profile" during the day. But, with the attention surrounding the story, he couldn't help but clear the air.
"Negotiations are hard," Olczyk said. "At the end of the day it is always about money and terms. I mean that's just the reality of the world we live in. That's as far as I'm gonna go on that.
"I think both sides certainly expected to get a contract done."
No one will know the real reasons the contract went into the paper shredder. But, now he's moving on. He has his gig with TNT to call national hockey games and he reportedly is in agreement to broadcast games with the Seattle Kraken (even though he didn't verbally admit it).
If one thing's certain, however, it's that "Eddie-O" will forever be a Chicago legend. He scored 180 points in the first three seasons of his hockey career that he spent with the Blackhawks. He played the last two seasons of his career in Chicago. After that, he became one of the best color commentators in the sport.
He called the Blackhawks' games through a historic run of championship hockey. He became, as Boyle put, "the soundtrack" to the Hawks' dynasty. And as Olczyk put it, the fans might not enjoy the outcome but he hopes you enjoyed the broadcast.
He shares the same sentiment about his departure. One may not agree nor understand. But, he hopes you enjoyed his time in Chicago.
Nevertheless, he will always be a Blackhawk and will forever be part of the Chicago family.
"This will always be my home," Olczyk said.