Sportsnet responds to Luke Gazdic’s viral outburst on Vancouver Canucks fans: Reports

Sportsnet has reportedly addressed Luke Gazdic’s viral outburst regarding Vancouver Canucks fans. According to Ryan Henderson, producer at the Donnie and Dhali Show, Sportsnet responded to a fan query requesting information on the network's position on the matter.

Sportsnet's response comes on the heels of Gazdic's comments branding Canucks fans as a "bunch of losers" and "an absolute joke." While Gazdic did not make the comments on the air, fans have called for Gazdic's dismissal from Sportsnet broadcasts.

Henderson posted the network's response on his X profile, highlighting that:

"Luke is relatively new to broadcasting on the national stage, and having millions of people watching him every night comes with an elevated level of scrutiny."

The response underscored that Gazdic had received “vile, personal attacks” leading to his comments on social media.

Sportsnet’s reply included the following explanation:

"Luke’s response on the podcast was an emotional one, and he made the mistake of taking what some people said to him online and generalized the entire Canucks fanbase."

The statement concluded:

"He understands his conduct was inappropriate, and we are confident it won’t happen again."

Thus far, Sportsnet, as a company, has not officially addressed the matter publicly. It remains to be seen whether Sportsnet will issue an official public comment regarding this issue.

While fans continue to call for Luke Gazdic’s dismissal, firing Luke Gazdic does not appear to be what Sportsnet has in mind at this time. Judging from the statement Henderson posted on his X account, Gazdic's future is uncertain at best.

A Sportsnet spokesperson confirms response regarding Luke Gazdic

The Province reported the comments posted by Henderson on his X account. According to the publication:

A Sportsnet spokesperson confirmed that was an official network response.

While Gazdic appeared on Vancouver Canucks regional broadcasts this past season, the Sportsnet spokesperson did not officially address Gazdic’s future appearances on telecasts.

Per the Province:

"We’ll share our regional coverage plans before the start of next season."

The Province noted the Spokesperson was Jason Jackson. The official network response came via email on Thursday.

Based on the comments from Jackson, Sportsnet does not want to confirm whether Gazdic will remain on the network or not. The vague response could be a signal that the network has not made a decision on Luke Gazdic.

For now, it seems that Sportsnet will not issue any further comments on the matter based on The Province’s report.

Nevertheless, the Canucks media backlash won’t go away easily. Recently, Don Taylor fired back on the Donnie and Dhali podcast, stating that he cannot take Gazdic seriously anymore, given his overt bias toward the Edmonton Oilers.

The broadcasting future of the “former fringe NHLer,” as The Hockey News referred to Gazdic, remains unclear heading into next season.