NHL public address announcers

[Chips]

I love the Caps guy, super intense announcing the end of the period lol. ONE MINUTE!! ONE MINUTE REMAINING IN THE PERIOD!!! [subtext: SHOOT! SHOOT NOW! We’re running out of time! Shoot scoar now!]

We’ve honestly been really lucky with him, Walton and Beninati. All super intense delivery. Tailor made experience for the Young Guns era


He’ll be replaced by a Taylor Swift song next year

 

[Diaspora]

Absolutely -- the guy we have now isn't bad. He's just incomparable to Milt.

It seems like everyone I knew did a Milt Ellis impression. Milt did the job for almost thirty years until they left the Aud. He passed away about ten years ago.

It would be great if they had a night in his honor. Just get someone to do the greatest hits:

"Your attention, please. Dr. Robert Melzer: Your patient is in labor."

"Can I have your attention, please . . . .The front doors of the auditorium are fire exits. . . . Parking is available nearby for a small fee."

"Attention please. Mr. Gerald Gallagher -- please call home . . . . If you're here . . . . Your wife is concerned of your whereabouts."

 

[JianYang]

I love the Caps guy, super intense announcing the end of the period lol. ONE MINUTE!! ONE MINUTE REMAINING IN THE PERIOD!!! [subtext: SHOOT! SHOOT NOW! We’re running out of time! Shoot scoar now!]

We’ve honestly been really lucky with him, Walton and Beninati. All super intense delivery. Tailor made experience for the Young Guns era


He’ll be replaced by a Taylor Swift song next year

The capitals PA guy always reminded me of duffman.

 

[JianYang]

He's pretty good. Granted, I haven't watched a lot of games lately, but I honestly couldn't tell much of a difference. Seems he has a similar demeanour as Ashbridge

Murdoch sounds like a bit more enthusiastic version of ashbridge. I can hear the similarities too.

On another note, I think they used ashbridge as the PA guy on the old EA sports games for years.

 

[CraigBillington]

Murdoch sounds like a bit more enthusiastic version of ashbridge. I can hear the similarities too.

On another note, I think they used ashbridge as the PA guy on the old EA sports games for years.

Probably was. The games were developed in Vancouver

 

[Nordekes]

Ryan Mill in Pittsburgh had HUGE shoes to fill, following the late, great John Barbero. He's developed a smooth delivery over the years, and seems like a good dude. I could do without the tacky "get on your feet and make it loud" as the Pens take the ice, but I'm not so sure that he's not required to read that by the same marketing genius that gave Iceburgh that damn airhorn.

Lou Nolan in Philly and Alan Roach in Denver are the gold standard as far as the ones I know, and Columbus' is good too. One of my all time favorites though is in the AHL. Bobby Day in Wilkes-Barre is legendary.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

so monotone and a bit nasally (?) ...i can hear his voice in my head right now... classic

...I smell the popcorn coming off the subway while thinking of his voice approaching the arena.

He had the same deadpan announcement for all moments, no matter what it was. Never over the top. A unique delivery, for sure.

Andy Frost did a good job at the ACC for the 15+ or so years he did it. He was more of a rock concert style announcer, which became a little too much over time, but he had the right booming voice for the position.

The new guy I'm indifferent too. I hated him initially, not liking his voice. I had this certain vision of the person behind the voice. Then I saw a picture of him one day, which was completely what I wasn't expecting. Since then, I've kind of liked him because he looks like a big teddy bear.

 

[GrkFlyersFan]

So as a Flyers fan, obviously Lou Nolan who I know personally, and is an absolutely phenomenal human and PA Announcer. PA Announcer since 1972, working for the team since Day 1 before that. Some have mentioned Bud Lynch(DET mid 80s-2012, sources vary as to when he started), Wes Johnson(WSH since 2000), Ryan Mill(PIT since 2009), John Barbero(PIT 1973-2009), Alan Roach(COL since 1999), Milt Ellis(BUF 1970-1997), David Courtney(LA 1989-2012), Tom Calhoun(STL since 1987), Paul Morris(TOR 1961-1999).

I'd like to throw in Bill Oellermann(DAL 1994-2012), Michel Lacroix(MTL 1978-1979 and since 1993), Mark Lewis(EDM 1981-2016).

Also, Vancouver, so John Ashbridge did it from 1987-2011 full-time, but didn't completely go away until after that, for instance he called their ill-fated 2014 Heritage Classic. So it's hard to say where he ended and Al Murdoch began. BTW, the PA Announcer in the EA Sports NHL series used to be John McComb, Ashbridge's predecessor.

 

[gstommylee]

Seattle's Person is Chet Buchanan, a washington native spent being on the radio for a couple decades for vegas radio and was in voice for several vegas events before getting his dream job of being a NHL public address announcer.

The team has been flexiable with him and thus allowing him to continue to run his radio shadow where he lives now.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

John Barbero was a legend behind the mic for Pittsburgh….may he RIP.

The schmuck they replaced him with is awful. My wife and I call him “ The Monster Truck Madness Guy” because that’s exactly what he sounds like.

Terrible.

 

[Bruinaura]

As a Bruins fan I miss Jim Martin. I don't know who they use now but it's just "meh."

Locally, the Preds use Paul McCann. He's pretty good. I'm always amused by "there's one minute remaining in the period" followed by the crowd yelling "thanks Paul!" lol

 

[The Flying Octopus]

Red Wings had Bud Lynch (a fan favorite and a WWII veteran to boot), but he passed away a few years back.

The current one, I couldn't tell you a thing about him.

He’s terrible tho and yells

 

[Chan790]

As Pens fan that doesn't live very far from DC, I've always liked the Caps PA guy. Really intense voice, lots of power, guy sounds like a Buzzsaw. Saw the dude do his thing live, buddy really gives it his all

Wes Johnson. It's actually a side gig for him. He's primarily a voice actor for video games and cartoons and honestly seems like the kind of hockey obsessed nut who would do the Caps games just because he wants to. (If you told me they weren't paying him, it wouldn't surprise me. He's a multimillionaire...doesn't need the money.)

He has done a lot of acting work for Bethesda Softworks particularly, especially on Skyrim and various Fallout titles. He's the voice of Sheogorath...easily the most terrifying and cheese obsessed daedra (devil, evil god) in the Elder Scrolls series.

 

[quackquackquack]

The Kings (Angels and Clippers too) had a gem of a PA announcer in David Courtney, RIP. He was a natural, didnt sound contrived and corny as the two that have followed him do. I don't even know (or care) who the newest guys name is. The guy before him, Dave Joseph tried too hard, his voice was shaky as hell, he was almost like the Leah Hextall of PA announcers.

David Courtney was the GOAT. You hit the nail on the head. Absolute natural.

I HATE the Kings new guy. He sounds like he should be announcing at a traveling circus.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

The list begins and ends with the late great John Barbero.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

The Bruins prior one was fantastic. The new one is not so good.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Michel Lacroix is pretty much the GOAT so yeah, we're ok with him

 

[McGarnagle]

As a Bruins fan I miss Jim Martin. I don't know who they use now but it's just "meh."

Locally, the Preds use Paul McCann. He's pretty good. I'm always amused by "there's one minute remaining in the period" followed by the crowd yelling "thanks Paul!" lol

Jim Martin was great

The new guy is so unremarkable that I don't even know his name.

 

[Bruinaura]

Michel Lacroix is pretty much the GOAT so yeah, we're ok with him

I didn't know who he was until the Bruins asked him to do part of Bergeron's 1000 point celebration in French. I thought that was cool.

 

[Kranix]

Budd Lynch. "Goal scored by Calgary number 20. Kris-tee-an Hoo-lay-oo-liss"

 

[HisIceness]

I won't lie, I don't particularly like Carolinas. His delivery drives me crazy especially when hes announcing a Canes goal. I like booming voices that keep it simple, he does neither.

 

[GrkFlyersFan]

Those talking about Boston, it was Jim Martin from 1995-2020. He had retired in 2019, but came back in early 2020. Was Steve Forni 2020-2022. Jake Zimmer this past season.

 

[GrkFlyersFan]

Seattle's Person is Chet Buchanan, a washington native spent being on the radio for a couple decades for vegas radio and was in voice for several vegas events before getting his dream job of being a NHL public address announcer.

The team has been flexiable with him and thus allowing him to continue to run his radio shadow where he lives now.

Yes, Chet Buchanan who took over at the beginning of calendar year 2022, and all of this past season. The original PA guy was Josh Hunter who only lasted through the calendar year of 2021, he couldn't continue because he lived in Colorado and was flying in for games. Buchanan has a similar problem, but still owns a home in Washington state so it's easier for him. Ironically, I think they first tried a female PA voice in the 2021 preseason who had narrated something for them, but she was apparently a horrible fit doing hockey PA.

 

[Drake1588]

Chaucer, liegeman to Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein. He's played 'em all.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Wes Johnson. It's actually a side gig for him. He's primarily a voice actor for video games and cartoons and honestly seems like the kind of hockey obsessed nut who would do the Caps games just because he wants to. (If you told me they weren't paying him, it wouldn't surprise me. He's a multimillionaire...doesn't need the money.)

He has done a lot of acting work for Bethesda Softworks particularly, especially on Skyrim and various Fallout titles. He's the voice of Sheogorath...easily the most terrifying and cheese obsessed daedra (devil, evil god) in the Elder Scrolls series.

Holy shit, never realized that was Wes Johnson. Been hearing his voice in games and never made the connection. Very, very cool