Jamie Baker to replace Drew Remenda as TV color commentator

After choosing not to renew longtime television color analyst Drew Remenda’s contract, the San Jose Sharks had some pretty huge shoes to fill in finding a replacement. Remenda was beloved by the fanbase and had been with the organization since its inception. So, in a lot of ways, it makes sense that Remenda’s successor will be the man responsible for the greatest moment in the franchise’s early history.

Jamie Baker, whom the team announced today will serve as the new color analyst for games broadcast on CSN California, is a lot more than the player who scored what remains the most famous goal in Sharks history. He also has nearly a decade of experience as the color commentator on Sharks radio broadcasts alongside Dan Rusanowsky. Baker has also traditionally been the top choice to replace Remenda on TV broadcasts when Remenda was unavailable, so it isn’t particularly surprising that he’ll be replacing Remenda full time.

Replacing Baker on the radio will be Bret Hedican, the former smooth-skating defenseman and Stanley Cup champion who has had various roles on the CSN California broadcast over the past four seasons. These both seem like terrific, if somewhat expected, picks to me. It’s hard to imagine the Sharks doing better than Baker and Hedican, two guys with a demonstrated ability to break down and perceptively discuss Sharks hockey, by going outside the organization. In addition to his terrific work on radio, Baker did a great job analyzing video during his past stints in place of Remenda on the TV side while Hedican was one of the few in-studio analysts in any sport who didn’t deserve the mute button.

Hopefully the circumstances surrounding the end of Remenda’s tenure with the team (who, by the way, is reportedly the frontrunner for the Edmonton Oilers TV color job) don’t muzzle Baker and Hedican on the air as both (particularly the latter) are at their best when providing constructive criticism of the Sharks.