James Cybulski害羞草研究所檚 voice can be heard in basements and bedrooms of hockey fans around the world, and he still can害羞草研究所檛 quite believe he害羞草研究所檚 in his third year of being the play-by-play guy of EA Sports害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淣HL害羞草研究所� video game.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a total dream come true,害羞草研究所� the Delta-based broadcaster said with the kind of enthusiasm he brings to the popular game.
The latest edition, was released in mid-October with Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews on the box cover 害羞草研究所� again, for the second time since 2020.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 say you aren害羞草研究所檛 the only one saying, 害羞草研究所榃hat, AGAIN?! He was on the cover just two years ago!害羞草研究所� Cybulski said with a laugh, in a phone call.
害羞草研究所淢y vote for Ryan Reaves was clearly ignored,害羞草研究所� he deadpanned on Instagram back in August.
The video game offers 害羞草研究所渁 huge leap forward in graphics害羞草研究所� and the arrival of Superstar X-Factors, which 害羞草研究所渦nlocks the unique skills of the league害羞草研究所檚 most elite players,害羞草研究所� raves . 害羞草研究所淭his is breakthrough hockey.害羞草研究所�
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EA害羞草研究所檚 NHL title has been part of Cybulski害羞草研究所檚 life for more than a quarter-century, starting in his old Ottawa 害羞草研究所榟ood.
害羞草研究所淚 played the game as a kid, in the early- to mid-害羞草研究所�90s,害羞草研究所� he recalled. 害羞草研究所淚 played 害羞草研究所楴HL 94害羞草研究所� on my Sega Genesis (game system), then evolved to playing on the PC around 害羞草研究所楴HL 98,害羞草研究所� then converted myself to become a PlayStation guy. It害羞草研究所檚 funny, I害羞草研究所檝e always been an NHL video game guy, whether it害羞草研究所檚 playing as a teenager, or you know, playing in the my 20s and then even into my 30s, coming home after having way too many with my buddies and than trash-talking. You know, 害羞草研究所極K, let害羞草研究所檚 turn on the (game system) and let害羞草研究所檚 go, let害羞草研究所檚 settle this!害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
The game graphics have come a long way since those early days, of course 害羞草研究所� and so has Cybulski.
He stick-handled his way into sports broadcasting and show hosting for TV and radio outlets over the past couple of decades, both here and in Toronto, and recently landed a job calling games for the AHL害羞草研究所檚 Abbotsford Canucks.
Turns out, being a play-by-play broadcaster was Cybulski害羞草研究所檚 desire all along.
害羞草研究所淭he whole reason I wanted to get into the (broadcasting) business was to be a play-by-play guy, that was always the dream,害羞草研究所� he explained. 害羞草研究所淥ut of school, I had a chance to call Ottawa 67s games, on the radio for awhile. The whole time through high school, I volunteered at community television while going to school and working, for about six years there.
害羞草研究所淚 did it to get my reps, and any opportunity that presented itself, I would do,害羞草研究所� Cybulski added. 害羞草研究所淚 called ringette championships, university football games, basketball, karate tournaments, a pre-Olympic boxing tournament in 1992. I did minor hockey games, touch football, lacrosse games 害羞草研究所� a whole bunch of different sports, and I was young, all between the age of 17 and 23, in Ottawa, growing up.害羞草研究所�
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Three years ago, Cybulski auditioned for EA three times and ultimately got the gig as voice of the company害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淣HL害羞草研究所� game.
害羞草研究所淚t was honestly the most amazing moment,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭om, I害羞草研究所檝e been honoured to do some pretty cool, amazing things in my career, experiences and opportunities in my life, but man, this opportunity to be the voice of a video game franchise I grew up playing, so iconic, it害羞草研究所檚 just amazing to me.害羞草研究所�
He follows in the footsteps of some broadcasting 害羞草研究所渓egends,害羞草研究所� including Jim Hughson, Gary Thorne and Mike 害羞草研究所淒oc害羞草研究所� Emrick.
害羞草研究所淎nd then it害羞草研究所檚 like, 害羞草研究所榃hat the hell害羞草研究所檚 Cybulski doing here?害羞草研究所� he said with a laugh. 害羞草研究所淏ut the feedback has been really good, very positive. It害羞草研究所檚 a lot of fun, but a lot of work, too.害羞草研究所�
Cybulski害羞草研究所檚 voice work for the latest game was all done at his Tsawwassen home, due to the pandemic. Basically, he cleared out a bunch of kids害羞草研究所� toys and covered the office walls with foam.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 where I scream and shout a lot,害羞草研究所� he noted.
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PICTURED: Broadcaster James Cybulski at his Delta home with a framed copy of the 害羞草研究所淣HL 22害羞草研究所� video game autographed by Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews, who is on the box cover. (submitted photo)
His contract with EA calls for up to 300 hours of voice work annually, which translates to a couple days a week, usually four-hour sessions, adding content where needed.
害羞草研究所淥ne day it might be a 害羞草研究所榩hone book,害羞草研究所� as they call it, which is essentially going through name after name. Not long ago there was a day where we added close to a thousand names to the game, and it害羞草研究所檚 making sure you have, A, the right pronunciation, and B, the consistency in energy level,害羞草研究所� Cybulski explained.
害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e going, 害羞草研究所楶asses the puck to Singh, passes the puck to Jones, passes the puck to Zillich,害羞草研究所� you know, you want to make sure your energy level is the same all the way through, so that it doesn害羞草研究所檛 sound like a 1990s version of movie phone, that old automated voice 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所�Please press 1.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 maintaining the baseline of energy to be consistent,害羞草研究所� he continued. 害羞草研究所淪o we do those, and one day it might be rattling off names, another day might be all goal calls. All those situational plays in hockey that are so common that you don害羞草研究所檛 even think about, we do all those 害羞草研究所� entering the offensive zone, gaining the line, but saying that 10 different ways without sounding the exact same. You can be a little cheeky sometimes while also being mindful to stay consistent with the traditional broadcast. We can kind of pick our spots to have some fun, too.害羞草研究所�
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WHAT A MOMENT!
害羞草研究所� Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks)
Justin Bailey's 100th career AHL goal and the first home goal in the history of the . on the call 馃帣锔�
Cybulski害羞草研究所檚 game call isn害羞草研究所檛 for everyone, and he knows that. He brings an energy some find too over-the-top,
害羞草研究所淚 think broadcasting is subjective, right, and for a broadcaster, you害羞草研究所檙e providing that soundtrack for people,害羞草研究所� he suggested. 害羞草研究所淵ou know, some people like something more subtle, but for me, personally, I害羞草研究所檝e always been drawn to the energy. To me, from a broadcasting standpoint, I害羞草研究所檓 kind of a salesman, I害羞草研究所檓 selling an event.
害羞草研究所淲hen I look at it from an NHL video game standpoint, I want it to be exciting because quite frankly, it害羞草研究所檚 the biggest thing in your life at that very moment, your focus. So I want people to feel like it害羞草研究所檚 the biggest game of their lives, in that world, in that moment. That害羞草研究所檚 the approach I go for, to have that feeling of it being the biggest game. It害羞草研究所檚 about being entertained.害羞草研究所�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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