Longtime sportscaster Ron MacLean has signed a new seven-year deal with CBC, and will continue to front its stalwart Hockey Night in Canada until 2014, it was announced on Monday.

Terms of the new deal, which begins with the 2007/08 season, were not disclosed.

‘For millions of Canadians, Ron is the face of CBC Sports, and we are absolutely thrilled to continue our partnership with him for the long term,’ said CBC Sports boss Scott Moore in a release.

‘Don Cherry must have broken a mirror this summer… I’m back for seven years!’ commented MacLean.

The sportscaster joined CBC in 1986 and became the host of HNIC a year later. An eight-time Gemini Award winner, MacLean has also hosted the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Cup Hockey and NHL Awards Show.

MacLean will host a special midweek doubleheader for HNIC on Thursday, as the NHL season gets underway with the Ottawa Senators facing the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. ET, while the Calgary Flames host the Philadelphia Flyers at 10 p.m.