Mike Milbury out as NBC's NHL Analyst After 14 Years Following Sexist Comments

NBC Sports will not be bringing back long-time analyst Mike Milbury for the 2021 NHL season, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.

"We are grateful to Mike for all of his contributions to our coverage for 14 years," NBC Sports said in a statement. "But he will not be returning to our NHL announce team. We wish him well."

Milbury was removed from NBC's coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in August after he made sexist remarks on the broadcast. 

"If you think about it, it's a terrific environment with regard to—if you enjoy playing and enjoy being with your teammates for long periods of time, it's a perfect place," NBC analyst Brian Boucher said of the NHL's bubble environment during the August broadcast in question.

"Not even any woman here to disrupt your concentration," Milbury responded.

After his remarks were condemned by the NHL for being "insensitive and insulting," Milbury apologized.

"It was not my intention to disrespect anyone," he said in a statement. "I was trying to be irreverent and took it a step too far. It was a regrettable mistake that I take seriously."

It wasn't his first instance of insensitive or sexist remarks on-air, however. During a matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens that was being played in an empty stadium in the league's restart after the COVID-19 hiatus, Millbury compared the crowdless affair to a college women's hockey game.

NBC will have a new-look hockey broadcast team this season. With legendary play-by-play announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick retiring, the network is turning to Kenny Albert, Brendan Burke and John Forslund. Studio analysts will include former NHL coach Mike Babcock and former players Ryan Callahan and Dominic Moore.