Which NHL broadcasts are the best? 2024 broadcast rankings, rated by fans (2024)

It was a watershed year for regional broadcasts across the NHL.

Memorable, emotional retirements from iconic play-by-play broadcasters punctuated this past NHL season in several major markets.

In Philadelphia, meanwhile, a longtime color commentator — Keith Jones — was hired directly from the broadcast booth and installed atop the Flyers organization as team president.

Let that serve as a reminder that there’s a certain authority and appeal attached to a regional broadcast and to the regional broadcasters that populate “the show.”

That authority stems from a certain homey familiarity and sense of belonging. It’s that ineffable sense of empathy and connection that fans naturally feel when watching their guys call their team’s games.

That connection resonates loudly whenever we launch our annual broadcast rankings survey at The Athletic. We ask fans to rate their favorite teams’ broadcasts on a scale from 1 to 5 and invite them to rate as many other local broadcasts as they wish.

This year we got roughly 7,000 responses from fans wanting an opportunity to critique and provide feedback.

We then used your grades and input to rank the regional broadcasts of all 32 NHL teams.

In terms of our methodology, we average out the results of the survey to provide each broadcast with a local and national score. Teams are then assigned a national and local rank, which is averaged into a composite score.

This isn’t a scientific exercise, especially as some teams and fan bases are more represented than others. The results, however, still provide us with a fascinating snapshot of how fan bases across the NHL view, connect with and rate those calling hockey games.

32. Boston Bruins

The Broadcast: NESN carries Bruins games with Jack Edwards — who retired following this past season — doing play-by-play and Andy Brickley doing color.

Local Ranking: 30

National Ranking: 32

Last Season: 30

The Results: The Bruins regional broadcast on NESN finds itself in last place this year.

The always polarizing broadcast has regularly ranked at the bottom of these survey results and will get a significant refresh next season with Edwards hanging up his microphone following an iconic 19-year run calling Bruins games.

Jack Edwards bids farewell after his last Bruins game.

"It's been a joyride for 19 years. And this is my goodbye."

His partner, Andy Brickley tells him, "I had 4 brothers but now I have 5."

Another Boston broadcast legend signs off.pic.twitter.com/Nb2OVCgLJb

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 3, 2024

Edwards’ play-by-play call has been impacted in recent years by a speech issue, which he opened up about in February. A number of our respondents noted Edwards’ compromised delivery in their feedback about the Bruins broadcast, but make no mistake, the broadcaster also received a ton of support and heartfelt well-wishes from Bruins fans who responded to our survey.

“I have grown up watching Jack and Brick on the Bruins broadcast and I can’t imagine watching the Bruins with anybody else on the call,” noted one fan.

“Jack Edwards is simply the best,” wrote another. “His enthusiasm for the game is unmatched. He will be missed immensely in New England.”

In addition to a typical mix of strong opinions on Edwards, Bruins fans in our survey regularly grumbled about technical issues and praised the work of host Sophia Jurksztowicz and the analysis of color commentator Andy Brickley.

Fans also provided strong opinions on some of the fill-in options NESN trialed during a brief holiday break for Edwards this season, most notably former L.A. Kings play-by-play broadcaster Alex Faust.

“When Alex Faust filled in for Jack on several occasions this season, he did a great job,” wrote one Bruins fan. “I’d be very happy if he were the permanent replacement.”

31. Chicago Blackhawks

The Broadcast: NBC Sports Chicago carries Blackhawks games with Chris Vosters doing play-by-play and Darren Pang doing color.

Local ranking: 32

National ranking: 24

Last season:32

The results: The 2023-24 season marked the splashy debut of former Blackhawks goalie Darren Pang as a color analyst in Chicago. Across the board, fans had rave reviews for his knowledge, professionalism and experience.

“Bringing in Darren Pang as the analyst was a home run hire,” wrote one respondent.

And yet, despite all the respect for Pang’s work, the Blackhawks broadcast only moved up one spot after finishing dead last in 2023. The bar is exceptionally high in Chicago because of their former legendary broadcasters, and the overwhelming brunt of criticism was directed at Vosters, who completed his second season as the primary play-by-play caller.

Many fans said that while Vosters is likable and improving, he struggles to find rhythm with the pace of play, doesn’t have great chemistry with Pang and his overall knowledge, background and feel for hockey isn’t up to par for an Original Six franchise’s broadcast.

“He is not a hockey guy, you can just hear it the way he calls a game,” summarized one Blackhawks fan.

30. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Broadcast: Bally Sports Ohio carries Blue Jackets games, with Jeff Rimer — who retired following this past season — doing play-by-play and Jody Shelley doing color.

Local Ranking: 29

National Ranking: 28

Last Season: 29

The Results: Among several regional broadcasts toward the bottom end of our list with a retiring play-by-play broadcaster, the Columbus Blue Jackets broadcast checks in at 29th.

Longtime Blue Jackets play-by-play broadcast Rimer, who has been calling NHL games since 1990 and Jackets games since 2004, announced his retirement near the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign and was honored by the club toward the end of the year.

While the majority of Blue Jackets fans expressed appreciation for Rimer’s work over the years in our survey, there was a relatively commonplace sense that it was time for change within the broadcast.

“Jeff Rimer is a legend,” noted one Blue Jackets fan response, “But I think his retirement this year is timed aptly.”

Given the business uncertainty around Bally Sports, several of our respondents expressed serious apprehension about how the Blue Jackets will fill their broadcast team for next season. The stakes will be high, especially given the near-universal praise that Blue Jackets fans showered on color commentator Shelley.

“Jody Shelley is a star, and belongs on national telecasts,” wrote one Blue Jackets fan. “Replacing the retiring Jeff Rimer will be critical to the status of the broadcast in the future.”

One piece of unique, constructive criticism that stood out among Blue Jackets fans in our survey was the widespread suggestion that the tenor of the broadcast didn’t really match the high levels of fan frustration in Ohio about the team’s poor performance over the past couple of years.

“Tired of watching TV and hearing everything is fine when the team is in the lottery,” said one fan in our survey, echoing the commentary of a large handful of fans.

"I love you all."@jrimercbj is moved by the support and appreciation shown to him by the @BlueJacketsNHL Fifth Line during the final broadcast of his NHL career.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/vPq1FGWaLn

— Bally Sports Columbus (@BallySportsCBUS) April 17, 2024

29. Toronto Maple Leafs

The Broadcast: Sportsnet carried 14 Maple Leafs games regionally this season, with Chris Cuthbert doing play-by-play and Craig Simpson doing color. TSN carried 26 Leafs games regionally with Gord Miller doing play-by-play and Mike Johnson doing color.

Local Ranking: 31

National Ranking: 12

Last Season: 25

The Results: The Maple Leafs are such big business that the majority of their games this past season (42 of them) were nationally broadcast in Canada.

What remains of the Leafs schedule is split between Sportsnet and TSN and carried regionally, with two different crews staffed by familiar national broadcasters making up Toronto’s regional broadcast. It’s a unique arrangement relative to most NHL teams and, once again, it’s a source of significant frustration for Maple Leafs fans who responded to our survey.

In fact, the gap between how highly Maple Leafs regional broadcasts are regarded by non-Leafs fans and how lowly rated it is by respondents selecting the Maple Leafs as their favorite team is the widest in our data set.

“I don’t want a Jack Edwards-level bias, but it would be nice if they were pro-Leafs once in a while,” wrote one survey respondent.

While there’s praise for the work of the broadcast teams across the board from our respondents, it’s evident that not having a regional broadcast with a local feel and slant is a perpetual source of frustration.

“Both the Cuthbert/Simpson team and (the TSN team) are very good and very professional, but are lacking in that hometown flavour that a lot of other teams get,” wrote one fan.

A large number of responses feature comments from Leafs fans pining for radio play-by-play broadcaster Joe Bowen to call the games on television.

It’s worth noting, too, that Leafs fans in our survey tended to give the TSN broadcast more credit for taking thoughtful steps toward attempting a regional feel to their broadcasts.

“(On Sportsnet) the national and regional broadcasts of Leaf games are virtually indistinguishable,” was a representative response from one fan.

28. Pittsburgh Penguins

The broadcast: SportsNet Pittsburgh carries Penguins games, with Josh Getzoff doing play-by-play and Phil Bourque, Colby Armstrong and Mike Rupp rotating on color.

Local ranking: 24

National: 29

Last season:27

The results:Pittsburgh’s broadcast underwent seismic changes this season, with both play-by-play caller Steve Mears and analyst Bob Errey departing. Getzoff transitioned from radio to TV, with the analyst role filled by a three-person committee.

The feedback was interesting. Statistically, there wasn’t any improvement in the rankings, yet anecdotally, most of the written survey responses included positive reviews for the changes.

“The overall broadcast revamp was needed and has improved every aspect,” said one Penguins fan.

“Getzoff is crisp, professional and getting stronger as the year goes on,” added another.

On the color side, Bourque was touted for bringing the most exciting tone; Rupp’s games brought more of a neutral, informative view; and Armstrong is a likable figure in Pittsburgh. That said, some fans didn’t like having different color commentators throughout the season, preferring one consistent analyst instead.

Overall, this was a solid albeit unspectacular transition year for the Penguins broadcast. Let’s see if that translates to better tangible results in Year 2.

27. Colorado Avalanche

The Broadcast: Altitude carries Avalanche games, with Marc Moser on play-by-play and Mark Rycroft on color.

Local ranking: 27

National: 27

Last season: 24

The results: A heavily biased, Avs-friendly tone — even relative to the lenient curve of regional broadcasts — defines Altitude’s passionate and entertaining game presentation. It’s a polarizing approach — some fans (especially out of the market) hate it, while others love it.

“The Altitude broadcast crew are undeniable homers for the Avs and aren’t shy about that fact, but it feels like they are fans with us and their passion is just as deep,” said one Avs fan. “Does this lead to a sacrifice in objectivity? Absolutely, but I think they lean into their passion and knowledge for the team in an authentic and encouraging way that wants to bring as many people under the tent of not just Avalanche fandom but hockey fandom in the state of Colorado as a whole.”

Moser received a lot of props for his play-by-play commentary, especially his dramatic and electric goal calls. Accessibility of Altitude’s broadcast remains a challenge that dragged some of the scores down. There were also a few complaints about the broadcast’s analysis feeling basic and old school, as well as a lack of high-quality replays on the technical side.

26.Arizona Coyotes

The Broadcast: Bally Sports Arizona carries Coyotes games, with Matt McConnell on play-by-play and Tyson Nash on color.

Local ranking: 21

National ranking: 31

Last season: 26

The results: McConnell’s understated play-by-play commentary is well-liked by Coyotes fans and even earned some out-of-market recognition.

“I really hope Matt McConnell gets a crack in SLC (Salt Lake City),” wrote a Minnesota Wild fan. “Excellent PxP in Arizona for many years for a less-than-excellent team. He also doesn’t get the respect he deserves in these rankings.”

Nash’s color analysis, on the other hand, is polarizing. A large chunk of out-of-market fans have soured on him, especially for his old-school takes. This is the second consecutive season in which Arizona’s local ranking far exceeds its national ranking.

25. Minnesota Wild

The broadcast: Bally Sports North carries Wild games, with Anthony LaPanta on play-by-play. Ryan Carter, Wes Walz and Lou Nanne rotate on color.

Local ranking: 28

National: 18

Last season: 21

The results: This is the fourth time in five years Minnesota’s broadcast has ranked in the 20s. Walz’s color commentary was frequently criticized for relying on cliches, too many references to his old playing days and lack of smooth delivery — multiple respondents believe he’s best suited to a studio analyst role.

Bally’s technical difficulties, app and overall service caused some fans to dock points. And with the Wild missing the playoffs for the first time in 2019, there was a sense the broadcasters let the club’s performance off the hook too easily.

“Too many excuses and narratives when things are bad. … I do like the increased use of analytics, but it seems they lean toward stats that show the Wild aren’t playing as bad as the eyes tell you they are,” said one Minnesota fan.

LaPanta earned mostly solid reviews for his play-by-play work. Meanwhile, Carter is extremely popular as a color analyst, with many advocating for him to take the role over full-time.

“Ryan Carter is the best! Extremely knowledgable, explains the game well and his enthusiasm is contagious.”

24. New Jersey Devils

The Broadcast: MSG Sportsnet carries Devils broadcasts, with Bill Spaulding handling play-by-play, Ken Daneyko on color commentary and Bryce Salvador at rinkside during Devils home games.

Local Ranking: 22

National Ranking: 25

Last Season: 17

The Results: It isn’t easy to step into the shoes memorably filled by longtime Devils play-by-play broadcasters like Glenn “Chico” Resch and Mike “Doc” Emrick, but in two years behind the microphone on Devils broadcasts, Spaulding has done enough to earn widespread plaudits from a discerning Devils fan base.

“We are still spoiled … (but) Bill Spaulding is rapidly developing his own style and on-air personality,” wrote one Devils fan in our survey.

While Daneyko received mixed reviews in our survey, with several fans noting they wished he’d be more forthright in criticizing mistakes made by a young team in a particularly error-plagued campaign, a large cross-section of Devils fans expressed appreciation for his overall authority and approach.

“Ken Danyeko plays the lovable ‘homer’ role really well,” commented one fan.

There was a relatively widespread sentiment that host Erika Wachter is an up-and-coming star. Likewise, numerous comments praised Salvador, former Devils captain, for his work explaining the game from an Xs and Os standpoint.

“Bryce Salvador is a tremendous hockey analyst,” gushed one respondent.

23. Anaheim Ducks

The Broadcast: Bally Sports SoCal carries Ducks games, with John Ahlers doing play-by-play and Brian Hayward doing color.

Local ranking: 15

National ranking: 30

Last season:31

The results:After 31st-place finishes in 2022 and 2023, the Ducks broadcast shot up eight spots this season. Nearly all of that improvement came from within the market, as they shot up from 30th to 15th in local polling. There’s a growing feeling that Ahlers and Hayward have served Ducks fans well during difficult, losing seasons, even if they aren’t cream-of-the-crop broadcasters.

“Broadcasting for the Ducks has been an increasing challenge during the Ducks’ lean years, and John Ahlers and Brian Hayward have been doing a yeoman job,” wrote one Ducks fan. “John is a brilliant play-by-play caller, providing fresh descriptions of each moment while also keeping a natural flow that is easy to listen to. Brian gets accused of being a homer and being too hard on the team, so you can tell he is doing a good job!”

Ahlers and Hayward were also complimented for doing a better job this season of being “even and professional.” This is a notable adjustment as Hayward in particular had been criticized for being too strong of a homer in years past.

Anaheim’s broadcast still struggles in national polling and respondents believe its analysis isn’t particularly insightful or cutting edge, but it took a step in the right direction in 2023-24.

22. Buffalo Sabres

The Broadcast: MSG Western New York carries Sabres broadcasts, with Dan Dunlevy on play-by-play and Rob Ray on color commentary.

Local Ranking: 25

National Ranking: 14

Last Season: 14

The Results: In his second full season as Sabres play-by-play broadcaster, Dunlevy continues to earn widespread praise from Sabres fans. That’s impressive, given the impossible task he was thrust into of replacing the late, great Rick Jeanneret.

“Dunleavy had big shoes to fill but has done it well,” wrote one Sabres fan.

“Dan Dunleavy is among the best play-by-play guys in hockey today, and in a market where everyone grew up with Rick Jeanneret, it’s all the more impressive that he earned the respect of the fans and has been accepted as the new voice of the Sabres,” wrote another.

Ray’s work is more polarizing among Sabres fans. His critics suggest he leans too much on analyzing the physicality of the game, while his supporters insist the detractors simply don’t get it.

“Rob Ray is ‘folksy’ and some people don’t appreciate that style,” wrote one Sabres fan, “but I think it creates a good blend with Dan.”

The Sabres broadcast regularly scores highly among non-Sabres fans who respond to our survey, and that’s the case again this year. National respondents often cited the work of the intermission panels, which prominently feature Martin Biron, in their regard for the regional broadcast.

One New York Islanders fan who participated in the survey, however, focused on the chemistry between Ray and Dunlevy, bridging a gap between Ray’s critics and supporters in the process.

“Dunleavy and Ray have a particularly strong chemistry,” wrote this fan. “Knowledgeable and entertaining most of the time, but unafraid to let Ray’s flights of fancy and oddball nature take over when it serves the broadcast. The call feels like a conversation between the two of them in the best of ways.”

21. WinnipegJets

The broadcast:TSN carries Jets games with Dan Robertson doing play-by-play and Kevin Sawyer doing color.

Local ranking: 26

National: 8

Last season: 23

The results:Ranking top 10 nationally but polling just 26th locally, these results continue an annual theme in which Winnipeg’s broadcast performs significantly better out of market.

Robertson continued to establish himself as a stellar play-by-play successor for the legendary Dennis Beyak in Year 2. He’s adored both locally and nationally.

“He should be on a shortlist for future national broadcast roles,” noted a Canadiens fan. “A natural with a booming voice and a great feel for how to approach any situation he is faced with. We miss him in Montreal.”

Sawyer’s divisive color analysis is where the Jets broadcast loses points in the local market. Winnipeg fans believe he doesn’t provide insight beyond “surface-level observations” and that his perspective is old-school and outdated. One fan gave Sawyer props for being more informative this season, noting he sprinkled in some analytics references, but that wasn’t enough in the eyes of most Jets faithful.

20. Ottawa Senators

The Broadcast: TSN carries Senators broadcasts regionally. Gord Miller is the primary play-by-play broadcaster with Jon Abbott filling in for select games and Jamie McLennan is the primary color commentator with Mike Johnson rotating in for select games.

Local Ranking: 19

National Ranking: 26

Last Season: 20

The Results: The Senators regional broadcast garnered mostly positive commentary within our survey, with only a few nitpicks mostly about the interchangeability of personnel and the widespread regard Senators fans have for their radio play-by-play crew of Dean Brown and Gord Wilson.

“No consistency in on-air personnel,” wrote one Senators fan.

“We don’t get Gord and Noodles (McLennan) enough,” wrote another.

Senators fans expressed their support or fondness for each individual, but there was very little commentary on the chemistry of the broadcast as a whole.

There was also a lot of praise for TSN reporters Claire Hanna and Cheryl Pounder’s contributions during intermissions and on the broadcast in general.

“Cheryl Pounder might be the best analyst in hockey,” wrote one Senators fan about the quality of the intermission panels.

19. St. Louis Blues

The Broadcast:Bally Sports Midwest carries Blues games, with John Kelly on play-by-play and Jamie Rivers on color.

Local ranking: 23

National ranking: 15

Last season: 5

The results:After ranking top five in four straight seasons, the St. Louis broadcast tumbled all the way down to 19th. The elephant in the room is Pang’s departure to Chicago: Blues fans deeply miss his unique personality, pizzazz and world-class talent.

This decline in the rankings is more about losing Pang than it is a reflection of any shortcomings on new color commentator Rivers’ part.

“Jamie Rivers is quite good in a different way,” said one Blues fan. “His commentary is more nuts and bolts of the game, which I appreciate but may not be everyone’s cup of tea. He is direct, concise and honest. This includes talking about penalties and the Blues. He is mostly agnostic about the calls and play, he is not a homer for the most part, and when the Blues did not play well (and there was plenty of that), he provided honest, fact-based criticism.”

Kelly, on the other hand, continues to be well-regarded as the play-by-play caller.

18. Carolina Hurricanes

The Broadcast: Bally Sports South carries Hurricanes games, with Mike Maniscalco on play-by-play and Tripp Tracy on color.

Local Ranking: 20

National Ranking: 17

Last Season: 19

The Results: John Forslund still looms large in the minds of Hurricanes fans all these years later.

Even among those fans noting Maniscalco has improved significantly in recent years and has developed excellent chemistry with Tracy, there is a solid cross-section still focused on Forlund’s departure and how it happened.

“I still miss John Forslund,” wrote another, “but our current team has grown tremendously and has jelled into a first-class broadcast crew.”

“I know people still pine for Forslund, and for good reason, because he meant so much to the area and the way he was let go just was — bad,” wrote another. “But it’s time to give Mike Maniscalco his due. He and Tripp have an insanely good chemistry.”

There can be no doubt that Hurricanes fans admire Maniscalco’s improvement and are in love with Tracy’s vibe, memory and feel for the big moment.

“Tripp Tracy is him,” wrote one respondent.

17. Nashville Predators

The Broadcast:Bally Sports South carries Predators games, with Willy Daunic on play-by-play and Chris Mason doing color. Hal Gill fills in for select games on color.

Local ranking:16

National ranking: 19

Last season:28

The results:Nashville shot up 11 spots this season after finishing 28th, 26th and 30th respectively over the last three years. Several observers — including some respondents who didn’t rate the Preds’ broadcast very highly — noted Daunic has improved tremendously. He isn’t everybody’s cup of tea but his passion, improved chemistry and the memorable catchphrases he’s developed all landed more positively than in years past.

The Predators broadcast lost points in previous surveys for appearing too biased and team-friendly. That perception has improved.

“They used to say only positive things about the team, now they are more realistic and will say if we are sucking during any particular game,” said one Preds fan. “They love to have fun and they all seem to enjoy working together.”

Mason and Gill are admired as color analysts and the broadcast crew as a whole earned plaudits for being well-informed about opposing teams.

16. Calgary Flames

The Broadcast: Sportsnet West carries Flames games, with Rick Ball on play-by-play and Kelly Hrudey on color. Greg Millen fills in for select games on color.

Local ranking:17

National ranking:16

Last season: 18

The results:This is the second consecutive season in which Calgary has finished middle of the pack rather than bottom third in the league — that’s solid progress. Ball, with his even-keeled nature, deep, rich voice and knack for picking up details, was highlighted as the broadcast’s biggest strength by far.

“Rick Ball is consistently excellent,” wrote a Flames fan. “Articulate and has a solid sense of reading the game and anticipating big moments.”

“Ball isn’t flashy but he does a great job giving consistent and complete commentary with the right proportion of emotional emphasis,” added another fan. “He’s not a homer, he never misses obvious/interesting occurrences completely, and he helps make big moments feel big.”

The reviews for Hrudey’s color work were mostly solid but more mixed. Millen, who occasionally fills in for Hrudey, has grown on Flames fans. Host Ryan Leslie is very popular as well.

This was voted a quality broadcast overall, with Ball’s play-by-play commentary emerging as the standout feature.

15. Los Angeles Kings

The Broadcast:Bally Sports West carries Kings games, with Nick Nickson on play-by-play (Josh Schaefer filling in for select games) and Jim Fox on color. Daryl Evans is an additional on-air personality from ice level.

Local ranking:14

National ranking: 21

Last season:12

The results:Alex Faust, who succeeded the legendary Bob Miller as L.A.’s play-by-play caller in 2017, wasn’t renewed last summer despite being popular among fans. Nickson, the Kings’ longtime radio voice, assumed simulcast duties in Faust’s place. Simulcasting radio and TV can be difficult, but the veteran Nickson handled it impressively.

“He’s got the classic announcer voice that takes me back to the Bob Miller days,” said a Kings fan. His voice seems very natural and he isn’t trying too hard like many others around the league.”

Nickson is viewed as a treasure, although some fans still miss Faust.

“I know many Kings fans will boo me for saying this, but Nick Nickson was a downgrade this year as compared to Alex Faust,” argued another fan. “Alex was getting better and better and I think Nick has slowed down the past few years.”

On the color side, Fox is annually regarded as one of the league’s best analysts. It’s challenging to provide deep, insightful analysis on the fly, but Fox has proven to be one of the best in the business at it.

14. Philadelphia Flyers

The Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia carries Flyers games with Jim Jackson on play-by-play and Brian Boucher as the primary color commentator. Scott Hartnell fills in for Boucher for select games.

Local Ranking: 13

National Ranking: 22

Last Season: 22

The Results: The Flyers regional broadcast had the rare task of replacing a color commentator who was promoted last offseason to president of the hockey club.

Bringing in Boucher, who also works nationally for TNT, has put the regional broadcast on solid footing in its first season without Jones.

“Looking forward to watching Bouch work his way up to president of the Flyers,” joked one survey respondent.

Because of Boucher’s national commitments, the club trialed Hartnell as a color commentator for select games. Hartnell’s work received mixed reviews, with some fans noting he seemed to be working through the inevitable growing pains as a rookie broadcaster.

The Year 1 chemistry between Boucher and Jones, however, won universal praise from Flyers fans.

“When JJ and Boucher are on the call it’s a 5/5 easy every night,” opined one Flyers fan.

“At the beginning of the year I worried that JJ wouldn’t develop as much chemistry with whoever the Flyers brought in for Jonesy, but the rapport between him and Boucher has been incredible,” said another.

13. Montreal Canadiens

The Broadcast: TSN carries Canadiens regional games in English with Bryan Mudryk on play-by-play for most games and Mike Johnson, Craig Button and Frank Corrado rotating on color. RDS carries Canadiens regional games in French with Pierre Houde on play-by-play and Marc Denis as color commentator.

Local Ranking: 18

National Ranking: 6

Last Season: 13

The Results: The Canadiens’ English language broadcast on TSN incorporated Corrado more frequently this past season.

While TSN rotates color commentators alongside Mudryk, Corrado’s transition from the studio to the broadcast booth was widely hailed as “seamless” by respondents to our survey.

“Frankie Corrado did really well as a rookie analyst,” said one Canadiens fan.

Many of our respondents also focused on the chemistry between Mudryk and Johnson.

“Bryan Mudryk brings a lot of energy to every Habs game and Mike Johnson is one of the best analysts in the business,” one survey respondent wrote. “Great combo.”

It should be noted that the French RDS broadcasting tandem of Houde and Denis received almost universal acclaim in our survey.

“Many have gone as far as saying the improvement of their French can be partially attributed to listening to Houde, who was been the voice of the Habs for the generation of fans in their 30s and 40s,” said one respondent.

12. San Jose Sharks

The Broadcast: NBC Sports California carries Sharks games, with Randy Hahn on play-by-play and Bret Hedican and Drew Remenda rotating on color.

Local ranking: 6

National ranking: 23

Last season: 15

The results: San Jose’s broadcast crew was a major shining light despite the club’s miserable season on the ice.

“Randy Hahn, Drew Remenda and Bret Hedican might be the best part of the Sharks and they don’t even step on the ice,” opined a Sharks fan. “Year in and year out their smooth and entertaining commentary, slight biases (to be expected) and fair criticism give viewers a near-perfect experience watching a hockey game.”

Hahn is the broadcast’s crown jewel as a timeless, balanced, knowledgeable play-by-play caller.

“Randy Hahn has been a staple with the Sharks through the good and bad days,” wrote a Sharks fan. “He is an excellent game caller and provides in-depth knowledge not only of the Sharks, but the other teams as well. He is a straight shooter and has not tried to sugarcoat the Sharks’ struggles this year.”

“Maybe this is due to the Sharks’ recent struggles, but it seems Randy Hahn has become very underrated around the league. Should be considered Top 3 in PxP,” added another respondent.

11. Florida Panthers

The Broadcast: Bally Sports Florida carries Panthers games, with Steve Goldstein on play-by-play and Randy Moller on color.

Local Ranking: 7

National Ranking: 20

Last Season: 16

The Results: “Let’s go home, baby!” “Tkachuk-Tkaching!” “Top shelf where Mrs. Moller keeps the peanut butter!”

The Panthers broadcast is anything but measured, which is just how Panthers fans like it.

“Moller’s hockey knowledge, broadcast experience, and over-the-top personality make him an elite color commentator in the NHL,” wrote one respondent.

“(Goldie’s) ‘Let’s go home, baby!’ call for any overtime or shootout winner has become the thing of legends,” added another.

Lots of respondents also spotlighted the work of host and sideline reporter Jessica Blaylock as a standout on Panthers broadcasts.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Broadcast: Bally Sports Sun carries Lightning games, with Dave Randorf handling play-by-play and Brian Engblom serving as analyst.

Local Ranking: 9

National Ranking: 10

Last Season: 6

The Results: In his third season as the voice of the Lightning on television, Randorf has established himself as a fan favourite on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

“Dave Randorf is amazing,” wrote one Lightning fan. “His voice, his even keel and his ability to hype up during big moments.”

“Randorf has a big game voice,” added another.

Understated and consistent, Randorf and longtime Lightning color commentator Engblom call a relatively neutral game by regional broadcast standards but are heavily appreciated by Lightning fans.

“Randorf and Engblom continue to set the standard in hockey broadcasting with the perfect balance of passion, detail and dynamics,” opined one fan.

9. Vegas Golden Knights

The Broadcast: Scripps Sports carries Golden Knights games, with Dave Goucher on play-by-play and Shane Hnidy on color. Darren Eliot fills in on color for select games.

Local ranking: 10

National ranking: 9

Last season:15

The results:Vegas’ instant on-ice success as an expansion team is mirrored by its high-end broadcast booth production, which is recognized both regionally and nationally.

“Vegas has the best overall U.S. broadcast and I’m an Anaheim Ducks fan,” wrote one respondent.

The Golden Knights broadcast earned praise for striking an impressive balance of entertainment, high-quality yet easy-to-digest analysis and developing a true Vegas feel to the broadcast without stepping into homer territory.

“Dave Goucher has been here from the start and is informative and passionate on his call,” wrote one Vegas fan. “Shane Hnidy brings in his intimate knowledge of the sport and breaks it down for easy consumption. They are a great duo, and Las Vegas is very lucky to have had them since the start.”

Gary Lawless’ intermission segment called “Lawless and Order” earned shoutouts, although some fans noted the pre and postgame analysis has taken a step back without Mike McKenna.

8. Washington Capitals

The Broadcast: Monumental Sports Network carries Capitals games, with Joe Beninati handling play-by-play and Craig Laughlin handling color commentary.

Local Ranking: 5

National Ranking: 13

Last Season: 9

The Results: Beninati and Laughlin, known colloquially to Capitals fans as “Joe B and Locker,” have been a broadcasting tandem for a generation. Literally.

Locked in for over 25 years as a duo, Beninati and Laughlin are an institution; the sound of Capitals games for Capitals fans.

“I went to my first Caps game this season,” wrote one survey respondent. “And I missed them. Weird, right?”

As you’d expect, given their longevity as a partnership, Capitals fans who responded to our survey focused intensely on their personal connection to the Capitals broadcast and the chemistry they have maintained over the years.

7. Edmonton Oilers

The broadcast: Sportsnet carries Oilers games, with Jack Michaels on play-by-play and Louie DeBrusk on color.

Local ranking: 12

National:7

Last season: 8

The results: Michaels has spectacularly turned the Oilersbroadcast around.

Edmonton’s crew ranked 26th before Michaels arrived in 2021. Since then, it’s only been up — the Oilers broadcast immediately catapulted from the bottom of the league to the middle of the pack and has now finished top 10 in back-to-back years, with this year’s No. 7 ranking representing its best-ever finish in The Athletic’s polling history.

Fans love Michaels’ electrifying, passionate playcalling that makes every consequential moment seem bigger. He’s developed excellent chemistry and banter with DeBrusk, who has grown in popularity himself.

“DeBrusk has gotten better over the years and deserves his spot as the No. 2 analyst for Rogers’ national broadcasts,” said an Oilers fan.

“My favorite out-of-town broadcast is probably Edmonton,” chimed in a Sabres fan, “Jack Michaels has a great voice and great enthusiasm, and he is perfectly paired with Louie DeBrusk.”

Gene Principe, meanwhile, is an icon for his down-to-earth persona, quirky puns and endless experience as the broadcast’s host. All around, the Oilers have an excellent TV product going.

6. New York Islanders

The Broadcast: MSG Network carries Islanders games, with Brendan Burke on play-by-play and Butch Goring on color. Thomas Hickey is between the benches for select games.

Local Ranking: 3

National Ranking: 11

Last Season: 7

The Results: Islanders fans adore Burke.

“There is absolutely no one as good as Brendan Burke,” said one Islanders fan.

The 39-year-old broadcaster has cemented himself as one of the top young play-by-play broadcasters in the sport. Perhaps the only remotely negative comment about his work in our survey is derived from Islanders fans nervous he’ll eventually become a full-time national broadcaster.

Islanders fans also enjoy the quirkiness and link to the 1980s glory years provided by Goring, although it doesn’t exactly translate to the national audience, which is a major reason the Islanders regional broadcast scores better among its fan base than it does among general hockey fans.

“Butchie is an icon with great insights and a whacky lovable persona,” said one Islanders fan.

Over the past several seasons, the regional broadcast has also incorporated former Islanders defender Thomas Hickey with increasing frequency. He’s now widely seen by Islanders fans as the heir apparent to Goring and a talented analyst in his own right.

“Adding Thomas Hickey to the broadcast has vastly improved an already strong team,” wrote one Islanders fan.

Rounding out a deep broadcast group, the work of host Shannon Hogan was regularly shouted out by our survey respondents as a standout on the broadcast. “Shannon Hogan is so energetic and fun to watch and has an engaging personality,” wrote one fan.

5. New York Rangers

The Broadcast: MSG Network carries Rangers games, with Sam Rosen handling primary play-by-play duties and Joe Micheletti serving as color commentator.

Local Ranking: 11

National Ranking: 5

Last Season: 10

The Results: Legendary Rangers broadcaster Rosen and his longtime partner Michelletti still bring their fastball.

“It’s like inviting two old friends over to watch the game,” wrote one Rangers fan.

Beyond the beloved broadcast duo, a lot of our commentators noted that the MSG team as a whole is incredibly strong. Steven Valiquette, Brian Boyle and Henrik Lundqvist’s work during intermission panels was widely noted by our survey respondents, and the work of fill-in color commentator Dave Maloney drew a wide range of compliments as well.

“Sam Rosen is a legend,” wrote one fan, “plus analysis from Steve Valiquette and Henrik Lundqvist between periods. Unmatched.”

4.Vancouver Canucks

The broadcast: Sportsnet carries Canucks games, with John Shorthouse on play-by-play and Dave Tomlinson on color. Ray Ferraro fills in for select games.

Local ranking: 8

National: 3

Last season: 4

The results: The 2023-24 season marked a massive change for the Sportsnet Canucks broadcast. John “Cheech” Garrett, Vancouver’s affable, adored color commentator since 2002, departed. Garrett’s loss is certainly felt, but the broadcast continues to garner exceptional reviews.

“Definitely missing Cheech but Ray has 100 percent stepped up and Dave has definitely gotten better and more comfortable throughout the season,” said a Canucks fan. “Once (Tomlinson) started to build a little bit of chemistry with the rest of the crew, things felt more natural.”

“Having Ferraro on the call is the NHL equivalent of having Tony Romo in the booth for the NFL — there’s nobody like him at all,” added another respondent.

It took Tomlinson some time to find his rhythm and mesh with Shorthouse’s witty sense of humor, but he clicked more seamlessly as the season progressed. He’s knowledgeable and makes sharp observations of tactics and opposing teams’ stylistic tendencies.

Shorthouse is the constant heartbeat of this top-notch broadcast. He’s revered in Vancouver and continues growing in popularity outside of the market.

“I think John Shorthouse might be the best play-by-play voice in the NHL,” wrote a Kings fan.

“A guy like John Shorthouse would be a dream,” added a Minnesota Wild fan.

Host Dan Murphy and the crew’s technical production earned lots of love, too.

3.Dallas Stars

The Broadcast:Bally Sports Southwest carries Stars games with Josh Bogorad on play-by-play and Daryl “Razor” Reaugh on color.

Local ranking: 2

National ranking: 4

Last season: 3

The results:Reaugh’s robust vocabulary, special one-liners/”Razorisms” and depth of knowledge make him a one-of-a-kind superstar. He’s described as having “the magical ability to transform hockey commentary into a symphony of wit and wisdom.” Reaugh has captured the attention of many fans outside of Dallas, too.

“Daryl ‘Razor’ Reaugh singlehandedly made me like the Stars, a team I have no reason to care about,” commented a Flyers fan.

There’s also a ton of substance to back Reaugh’s glitzy command over the English language. Reaugh and Bogorad’s preparation and research for every opponent was applauded, with many Stars fans noting they learn a lot about the NHL’s other teams because of the tidbits they present. They were also credited for being extremely fair — they take every opportunity to give props to opponents and call it like it is when Dallas struggles.

Everybody loves Reaugh but several commenters also wanted to make sure Bogorad got his flowers.

“Josh Bogorad doesn’t get enough credit for both his play-calling and for leaving space for Reaugh’s color work,” wrote a Stars fan. “His call is engaging and enthusiastic, even when opponents score against Dallas. Together, they bring a wonderful balance of entertainment and insight, with the perfect pinch of homerism to it all.”

2. Seattle Kraken

The Broadcast:ROOT Sports carries Kraken games with John Forslund on play-by-play, Eddie Olczyk on color and J.T. Brown between the benches. Olcyzk occasionally misses Kraken games while fulfilling his national broadcast commitments for TNT; Forslund and Brown form a two-man booth on those occasions.

Local ranking: 4

National ranking: 2

Last season: 1

The results:Seattle’s crew is like an All-Star team — there’s an embarrassment of broadcast talent and riches. The Kraken production hasn’t ranked lower than second place since arriving in the league, including a No. 1 finish in 2023.

“John Forslund is one of a kind,” explained a Kraken fan. “His phrasing and play-by-play descriptions are very unique and entirely original. He’s easily the least ‘cliched’ announcer in the business. And, he is very funny — again, using humor that’s original and unlike anything you will hear elsewhere.”

“It has to be said: John Forslund is the best caller working the NHL by a wide margin,” added a Sabres fan.

Olczyk, whose sparkling resume speaks for itself, has terrific banter and chemistry with Forslund. Brown brings a wealth of knowledge. Piper Shaw adds a great touch as a host. And analyst Alison Lukan is a rising star for her ability to teach nuanced analytics and provide tactical breakdowns in an easy-to-understand and entertaining format.

“The one thing that separates the Kraken from the rest is Alison,” said a Seattle fan. “I have three daughters and my oldest has commented several times that Alison helps her understand the sport in a way just watching the games can’t teach.”

The accessibility of ROOT Sports’ broadcast, and the expensive cable package it requires, was the only blemish fans pointed to. That will fortunately change next year, as the Kraken are increasing their broadcast and streaming access through partnerships with TEGNA and Prime Video. All locally televised games will be broadcast “for free over the air.” What an excellent cherry on top for next season.

1. Detroit Red Wings

The Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit carries Red Wings games with Ken Daniels calling play-by-play and Mickey Redmond handling most games as the color analyst.

Local Ranking: 1

National Ranking: 1

Last Season: 2

The Results: While they often rank toward the top end of these rankings, the Red Wings regional broadcast duo of Daniels and Redmond got an opportunity to elevate this past season — for the first time in nearly a decade.

It was an opportunity one of the best regional broadcast teams in the NHL didn’t miss.

“The drama in this year’s playoff chase has unlocked a level of Ken and Mickey that I didn’t know existed,” wrote one respondent. “Some incredible late-game drama (Patrick Kane’s OT winner in Chicago, Lucas Raymond’s OT winner in Game 81) made even better by the duo on the call.”

Both Daniels and Redmond are institutions at this point. One thing that tends to separate Red Wings broadcasts, beyond the usual attributes of all good hockey broadcasters (precision, memorable turns of phrase, great chemistry) is their focus on the opposing team and really selling the game, even beyond the accomplishments of Red Wings players.

“They are obviously rooting for the Wings as a local broadcast, but I really appreciate that you can tell they are just fans of the game itself, too, and will not shy away from talking up opposing teams/players,” noted one Red Wings fan.