The Athletic ranks the NHL local TV broadcasters - Carolina #1 - Boston #31

[Pure Slaughter Value]

This actually goes on to say that the poll for NYR was actually hijacked by Islander fans hence they were down to 13th.

Yeah, saw that. They're still not very good. Rosen's going off of reputation as he hasn't been good in years and Michelletti's taken the Rangers gag order (avoid harsh criticism) to extreme measures. I can't believe this is the same Michelletti that (as an Isles commentator) would constantly speak the truth, even if it meant trashing the Isles performance.

He literally calls Rangers games as if they should be 82-0 and there's a conspiracy against every player and coach on the Rangers by the refs, league, nation's government and world's leaders. It's ridiculous.

Makes Butch Goring look like an anti-homer and any Isles fan can tell you Butch is homeristic in nature.

 

[raymond23]

Brutal list

 

[End of Line]

This actually goes on to say that the poll for NYR was actually hijacked by Islander fans hence they were down to 13th.

As a Pens fan I love listening to Sam Rosen call games.

 

[LeafGrief]

The TSN broadcasts are the only ones that are bearable. The sportsnet broadcasts are atrocious and Greg Millen alone should move us down the list several spots.

But frankly we don't get regional broadcasts, all of our games might as well be considered national. Sure, they talk about us all intermission but the only Leafs fan we ever get on a panel is O'Neill on TSN. The HNIC crew genuinely seems to hate the Leafs. Glenn Healy couldn't find a nice thing to say about the Leafs for years and he was on practically every game. It's incredibly frustrating watching broadcasts that don't even like the team. For the love of the hockey gods, give us Joe Bowen back. He did our games for a long time and is amazing (and a homer) but only does radio now. I see a lot of highlight videos and clips with the radio calls in the video instead of the broadcast.

Ray Ferraro is the GOAT colour guy and the only one of the current bunch that I genuinely enjoy listening to.

 

[Robsker]

I am a Hawks fan and when I can, just for kicks, I listen to the opposition announcers. Of them all that I have heard, the one I like most is Ken Daneyko for the Devils. He really knows his stuff, he knows all the opposition players well, his comments are very knowledge based and he is just excellent. He is respectful of the opposition yet favors his guys - nice balance. No color guy I have heard matches him. The Hawks color guy, Eddie O. is Ok but is way below where Daneyko is. In fact, I have little general interest in the Devils but if the Hawks are not on, I navigate to Devils games just because their crew is so good.

 

[Kranix]

St. Louis waaay too high. come on.
Darryl Reaugh still going strong lol
How is Ottawa not number one? Cuthbert is enough to make them Number 1. Come on. List is a travesty.

 

[gtrower]

Bruins and Pens on the bottom. Relief to know my biases don’t dominate what I can see and hear.

 

[Kranix]

I remember one time I said Pang sucks, and I had a Flames avatar at the time, and a Pang fanboy's retort was he never much cared for the Flames. haha

 

[LakeLivin]

Tripp Tracey goes on tangents sometimes. Otherwise, they're great.

And Tripp sometimes continues a bit that started out ok to the point that it becomes annoying. But he can also provide some pretty good insight into the game. No need to say anything more about Forslund.

 

[bov]

Carolina being first made me laugh out loud. Color guy is one of the worst homers I have ever heard, sounds like they let a fan into the booth.

 

[Kranix]

List is weird because aren't some of these national? Also any regional US, FSN, NESN etc broadcast team is so barfingly, abhorrently homeristic and bad you just want to turn the sound off.

A better title and focus for the article would have been "Just How Bad Are Local Hockey TV Broadcasts? The Answer Will Make you Especially Sad."

 

[Hammettf2b]

The New Jersey team needs to be lower on the list. Top 5 in my book.

 

[jetsforever]

Jets in the middle sounds about right

 

[raymond23]

People who get mad at LOCAL announcers for being homers will always blow my mind.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I completely understand Bruins at the bottom but I always thought the Pens were the worst because at least with the Bruins you get entertainment and soundbites out of Edwards. With the Pens, it's ultimate homerism but also really dull.

 

[ACC1224]

Are Hughson and Simpson the only duo in the league calling games for a Team they so obviously dislike?

 

[BHD]

And Tripp sometimes continues a bit that started out ok to the point that it becomes annoying. But he can also provide some pretty good insight into the game. No need to say anything more about Forslund.

Some broadcasters are like a fish out of water whenever their partner says something unexpected. Forslund, though, does a job of working with him.

Dallas would be up there when Darryl Reaugh does colour - not play-by-play.

 

[Love]

 

[BHD]

People who get mad at LOCAL announcers for being homers will always blow my mind.

It depends on the degree of homerism. Pittsburgh and Boston are notorious in this regard.

 

[Love]

Avs should be second last just ahead of the Bruins broadcast.

Leafs should be higher. Miller, Cuthbert, and Ferraro? That’s awesome. I know they don’t get those three every time but even Hughson is good (although Leafs fans hate him).

 

[WSS11]

Surprised SJ team is that high. Randy is great as is Hedican but Kendall is still finding her bearings and Jamie isn’t good.
Dallas should be #1 imo.

 

[solidaritypucks]

hurricanes booth is great but a lot of this list seems pretty random and incoherent.

 

[BlackFrancis]

Rankings based on surveying people dumb enough to pay for a "journalism" site that thinks the result of its polls are worth paying for?

Next.

 

[wintersej]

For the Bruins, I like Jack and think he is fun, but... the damn graphics all over the screen during the broadcast make this ranking something I can agree with. NHL Network forces them to remove all their extra graphics on national re-broadcasts or in highlights... I can tell you they are truly awful if you have never picked up the local Boston feed.

 

[wintersej]

Rankings based on surveying people dumb enough to pay for a "journalism" site that thinks the result of its polls are worth paying for?

Next.

Yeah, the not paying for news model has really been a good trend for the US and the world. FML.