Gene Principe | |
|---|---|
 Principe in 2006 | |
| Born | (1967-02-26)February 26, 1967 (age 58) |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouse | Karen Poganiatz |
| Children | 3 |
| Sports commentary career | |
| Team | Edmonton Oilers |
| Genres |
|
| Sport | National Hockey League |
| Employer | Sportsnet |
Eugenio Principe[1] (born February 26, 1967)[2] is a Canadiansports reporter and broadcaster, who is the current host ofEdmonton Oilers broadcasts onSportsnet. He is best known for his frequent use ofpuns and props during his pre-game segments.
Born inEdmonton to Italian immigrants, Principe began his broadcasting career in 1987 and became a full-time sportscaster in 1990. He anchored various sports programs inWinnipeg andToronto before returning to Edmonton in 1998 to host Oilers broadcasts forCKEM-TV (then known asA-Channel). Principe continued to host Oilers games after joining Sportsnet in 2001.
Principe was born in Edmonton to Gina and Franco Principe, who were immigrants from Italy.[1][3] His mother Gina was aseamstress, while his father Franco was acarpenter.[4][5] Principe attendedAustin O'Brien Catholic High School and became interested insports broadcasting as a teenager.[6][7] This led him to study broadcasting for two years at theNorthern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) before graduating in 1987.[7]
Principe began his first work placement atCFJC-TV inKamloops, later moving toGrande Prairie to work as avideographer forCFRN-TV.[7][3] After a year and a half in Grande Prairie, he became a reporter forCFCN-TV inLethbridge, eventually transitioning to a full-time sports reporter in the summer of 1990.[3][8]
Principe later moved toGlobal-ownedCKND-TV inWinnipeg,[6] spending three years as host of the station'sWinnipeg Jets broadcasts and the co-anchor ofSportsline, a half-hour sports show.[9] In 1995, he was hired by Global to work forCIII-TV inToronto, where he continued to hostSportsline.[6][10] Given the opportunity to cover his hometown team, Principe returned to Edmonton in August 1998 to become the host ofCKEM-TV'sEdmonton Oilers broadcasts, as well as its evening sports show.[6]
Principe joined Sportsnet in October 2001, as the host of the network's Edmonton Oilers broadcasts.[7][11][2] In March 2002, he called his first twoNational Hockey League games as aplay-by-play announcer when he filled in for regular announcerKevin Quinn.[12] Principe travelled toDubai in 2005 to film a documentary covering the Dubai Mighty Camels of theEmirates Ice Hockey League.[13][14]
During the2006 Stanley Cup playoffs, Principe was scheduled to cover only the first round matchup between the Oilers and theDetroit Red Wings, before leaving for the2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, since the Oilers were unlikely to advance. However, after the Oilers won the series, he was held back to cover the second round. When the Oilers advanced to the third round, Principe was given a choice of staying to cover the Oilers, which he was already "pretty entrenched in" and where "fellow ItalianFernando Pisani was lighting it up", or fly to Germany to cover the World Cup, which was a "pure dream", especially with theItaly national team in contention for the cup and his wife being German.[3] He ultimately left the decision to Sportsnet, who had him stay in Edmonton. The Oilers ended up losing the2006 Stanley Cup Finals, while the Italian team won the World Cup.[3]
During the2010 Winter Olympics, he coveredmen's hockey forCanada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium.[15]
As a host of Oilers broadcasts, Principe is well known for his use of puns and skits during his pre-game segments.[7][16] According to Principe, he was inspired by fellow broadcasterRon MacLean, and began using puns as a way to uplift fans during the2006–07 NHL season. The season followed the Oilers' defeat in the2006 Stanley Cup Finals, and included a stretch where the Oilers had won only two of their last 20 games.[7][16] His segments were well received by fans and colleagues, which encouraged him to continue his unique pre-game segments in subsequent seasons.[7]
On October 30, 2011, Principe began one of his segments dressed as ahot dog, saying that he "[felt] like such a wiener" for accidentally dressing up a day beforeHalloween.[7] He wore the costume for the rest of the game, including during an interview with Oilers assistant coachKelly Buchberger, where Principe said "[t]his may be the first time in history a hot dog has interviewed aburger."[16] In December 2015, Principe introduced Oilers head coachTodd McLellan as the "Toddfather" in a pre-game segment while doing an impression ofVito Corleone fromThe Godfather film and accompanied by a trumpet player performing "Love Theme fromThe Godfather". He later described the segment as one of his favorites because "it was a team effort" and "had the most elements to it".[7]
In January 2017, one of his segments had him wearing aDonald Trump mask and making various Trump-related puns during a broadcast that coincided withTrump's inauguration.[17][18] That same year, during a pre-game commemoration of theEdmonton Police Service's 125th anniversary, Principe made several police-related puns, before beinghandcuffed by an officer, who informed him that he had exceeded the "legal limit for puns" and was being sent to the "pun-itentiary".[19][20]
Principe is married to Karen Principe (née Poganiatz), who he met during his time in Winnipeg;[21] together they have three children.[3] A former dental hygienist, Karen Principe was elected toEdmonton City Council as the councillor for Ward tastawiyiniwak in 2021.[22]