The NHL Redux: Bob Cole has no plans to drop the mic

There really isn't much we can all agree on.

Hockey's social sphere is a toxic underworld. It's a place where it's easier to attack than applaud. It's where every movement, word, action and reaction is condemned and faceless looters brandish hate, pouncing on any opportunity to shame.

It can be ugly - real ugly.

There is something, though, a trump card of sorts, that dulls weaponry and extinguishes hateful flame. We all have a soft spot for longevity, don't we? 

Jaromir Jagr is a testament to this. Teemu Selanne, Steve Yzerman and Gordie Howe before him, too. But when speaking to industry staying power and acceptance from the masses, the conversation begins with legendary play-by-play man Bob Cole.

And if it were up to him, the dialogue won't come to an end any time soon.

"I haven't even thought about retiring," Cole told theScore. "That hasn't occurred to me. I don’t plan it, you know what I mean? It's going to come some day, normally, naturally, that will be fine. But I don't look forward to that, having nothing to do. I don't think that's healthy."

For more than 55 years, Cole, 81, has lent his iconic voice to the radio and television airwaves and has been a presence on Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts since 1973. 

The Hall of Famer has been at the headset for decades of Stanley Cup finals, narrated his country through the torture of Nagano and delight of Salt Lake City. And, for the few who weren't in front of a television in 1972, even had the radio call for Paul Henderson's deciding goal in the Canada-Russia Summit Series.

He's the inspiration for arguably the best parody account on hockey Twitter and his Cole-isms now live on a soundboard set to resonate in the app world forever. 

But like any professional, Cole's role diminished with age. And at this time last year, it appeared he would finally be squeezed out of the broadcast booth. 

Then an odd thing happened. That wicked place - the one spewing venom - rallied for a cause. And just a few days after Game 7 of the Western Conference final, a game feared to be his last, it was announced that Cole would join Rogers' national coverage and stay with Hockey Night for the 2014-15 season. 

"I hope (the fans) admire (my work)," Cole said. "It's just a wonderful thing to be able to do it. I'm fortunate I guess, to be able to keep going. And please God, I can keep 'er going. Once I feel I can't, I'll be the first to know it. That'll be it."

Unfortunately, he may never experience that closure. 

Like many of the athletes who have skated through his sight-line and stirred enough to produce an "OH BABY FOR SURE!," Cole remains at the sport's mercy because of his deep, deep adoration for it.

"I'll stay with it as long as they'll have me," he said.

It's a bit of a sad reality that he may never put his signature on one final send-off, but it's not like he's composed a farewell address that will be left unread. 

Because he can't even fathom the end.

"Never. You don't ever think about your last game," Cole laughed. "Every game you do might be your last game. You never know."

So as another one-year contract approaches its conclusion, and Cole's career outlook appears murky once again, appreciate his call, social media contributors, but also take pride.

Because between hurling all that sludge, y'all did some good too.

The Next 48

Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET

Isn't it about time Detroit answers the bell?

The Red Wings are 0-4-2 against Atlantic Division competition above them in the postseason standing, and have been outscored 19-7 in the process. They will have one last chance against the Lightning and Canadiens, beginning Saturday with the former, before meeting either one in the first round.

Despite managing just two goals in three losses to Montreal, the Red Wings have actually fared worse in recent history versus the Lightning, and more notably against netminder Ben Bishop. He's 7-1 with a 1.53 goals-against average and .943 save percentage versus the Wings, a team he's seen the third-most ice against in his career. 

Goaltending, meanwhile, has become an area of concern for Mike Babcock, who will turn to backup Petr Mrazek in wake of Jimmy Howard's struggles.

Chicago Blackhawks at Winnipeg Jets: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET

For the Blackhawks, their season series with the Jets has been nasty in more ways than one. 

Fights, cross-checks, slashes, instigators, misconducts, boarding calls and even embellishments, the referees have been forced to throw the book at these suddenly bitter combatants. And in the aftermath, the Jets claimed seven points in the four games. 

There are two (probably three) more points up for grabs and they figure to be most important. The Wild are now just three points back of the Blackhawks - and we all know how crucial these games are for Winnipeg.

The Pylon

Nick Boynton racked up 862 penalty minutes in his 605 career games with no known incidents of biting on his record.

That was until this past Wednesday.

Boynton, 36, was arrested and charged for assault, criminal mischief and harassment after allegedly biting a police officer at a Buffalo-area casino the night before he was scheduled to provide color for Arizona's local broadcast of the Coyotes-Sabres game. 

There were still a few pylons in attendance, but biting a cop wins out over cheering an overtime winner to support the tank in terms of Pylon-ery. 

Parting Shots

1) Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk have the worst three plus-minus ratings in the league and are now a combined minus-111. Good thing that stat means nothing!

2) Per our Rob Pizzola, the Canadiens rank no better than seventh from last in three shot-based possession metrics since the trade deadline and are second-to-last in trading scoring chances. 

3) Brandon Pirri's stat line (20-2) looks more like Tom Brady's touchdown-to-interception ratio. He's also the hottest goal-scorer since the All-Star break, scoring 16 times in his last 21 games.

4) It's Sabres owner Terry Pegula's birthday. I guess he'll be putting out a pair of fires today.

5) Willie Mitchell and Aaron Ekblad, who were featured in an fantastic column this week over at Grantland, are literally incapable of skating past each other at practice without laughing, chirping or tapping at one another. They're sorta the best. 

6) Jaromir Jagr doesn't just skate with ankle weights, he just walks around with them on, like, all the time.

7) Should he earn a win over the Oilers on Friday, Kari Lehtonen will become the third goaltender to have a double-digit win streak on the road this season.

8) I can't help but think Martin Marincin didn't really want the first puck he scored an NHL goal with hacked into two pieces.

9) The Kings, now in a postseason position, would become just the third defending Stanley Cup champion to miss the playoffs in 19 years. They have won three in a row, but have visits to the Wild and Blackhawks up next.

10) Andrew Hammond didn't make the third period Thursday, and thus, kept at least one incredible statistic unblemished. He has a .979 save percentage in the final frame.