ESPN Announces Full NHL Broadcast Roster For 2021-2022 Season

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ESPN has announced the full roster of broadcasters and reporters for their upcoming NHL coverage starting in the 2021-22 season. The group is led by  veteran play-by-play broadcasters Sean McDonough and Steve Levy along with former players like NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier and U.S. Olympic gold-medalist Hillary Knight.

The current broadcasting deal with The Walt Disney Company, which lasts through the 2027-28 season, gives ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, and Hulu broadcast rights for NHL regular-season games and Stanley Cup Playoff games. Along with McDonough and Levy, John Buccigross, Bob Wischusen, and Leah Hextall will also add their voices to play-by-play. Hextall has been a part of ESPN’s NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship and World Cup of Hockey coverage since 2016. She will also serve as a reporter for some games throughout the season.

“This new and groundbreaking lineup will bring the NHL to an expanding legion of passionate fans,” says Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN and Sports Content. “We set out to put together a roster that would excite, engage, and educate the entire range of fans – from diehard to casual – while inspiring the next generation. With this lineup, we believe we have done just that. We could not be more excited to welcome this talented and diverse group to the ESPN hockey family.”

Former Stanley Cup champion Chris Chelios will also be part of the lineup. Others who have proven their stardom both on the ice and on the air include Ray Ferraro, Brian Boucher, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Kevin Weekes, Ryan Callahan, A.J. Mleczko, Rick DiPietro, as well as former NHL player and coach, and ESPN legend Barry Melrose.

Hall of Fame sportscaster Linda Cohn will continue to host In the Crease, ESPN+’s nightly hockey program, during the NHL season, in addition to anchoring SportsCenter and contributing to NHL coverage and programming. ESPN newcomer Blake Bolden, along with Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski, will handle reporting duties.

ESPN Deportes’ Kenneth Garay and Eitán Benezra will handle play-by-play commentary with Carlos Rossell and Antonio Valle contributing analysis and color commentary for NHL games on ESPN Deportes.

Steven Boero
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