Hockey Buzz Ranks the Thirty NHL Broadcasting Teams

Travis Yost from Hockeybuzz has ranked the NHL broadcast teams… I am not sure how you can rank an NHL broadcast team that has never had an actual broadcast?

I am also not sure how you can rank Rick Jeanneret 16th? The guy is a gem and one of the more entertaining hockey broadcasters in the NHL.

(28) Boston Bruins -- Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley

Nothing I could say in this small paragraph on the abortion that is Jack Edwards' play-by-play work would be insightful or refreshing. He's the biggest homer in hockey -- he's the second-biggest homer in sports. It's actually pretty shameful that NESN continues to employ a guy who so willfully blurs the reality of the sport with such partisan analysis.

The sad part? Color guy Andy Brickley is awesome. So much so, it -- against all odds -- keeps the Boston Bruins from finishing thirtieth in this ranking. Brickley's understanding of the game is pretty unparalleled, and when Jack Edwards does give him the green light to talk to the viewers, it's almost always insightful and educational.

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(26) Minnesota -- Anthony LaPanta and Mike Greenlay

This ranking is a bit of an unknown, with LaPanta coming in to fill the vacancy left by the departed Dan Terhaar. If you're looking for a positive, it's that Terhaar was one of the worst PxP guys in the business, comically missing the play, mispronouncing names, and putting a pro-Wild spin on things at any passing chance. LaPanta's been prepped by Fox Sports North for this role for quite some time; he's loved by the company, and has made the rounds. Unfortunately, this is his first NHL-level call.

I literally have watched a “ton” of hockey over the last 15 years, the reason I know this is that my wife has complained about it and in my opinion, I don’t get why people hate Jack Edwards so much and wonder if the hate for Jack Edwards is justified.

In my opinion, I believe that Edwards, is very entertaining. Yep, I am a Boston Bruins fans. However, that being said, I do think that Edwards is one of the more knowledgeable hockey broadcasters in the game of hockey. I also believe that Edward’s color guy Andy Brickley brings a much need perspective from a player’s side to the announcer’s booth.

You would think from reading some of the comments from hockey fans around the league that Jack was Lucifer or killing baby cats and dogs.

Fox Sports North names Anthony LaPanta television play-by-play announcer for the Wild

Here is the official releast for the hiring of Anthony LaPanta to do the play-by-play for the Minnesota Wild.

Chime in – how do you feel about the move?

FOX Sports North: the Exclusive Local Television Home for the 2012-13 Minnesota Wild Season.

The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild today named Anthony LaPanta television play-by-play announcer.

LaPanta, a graduate of Totino-Grace High School and St. John’s University (Collegeville, Minn.), has covered the Twin Cities sports scene since 1991. The New Brighton, Minn., native has hosted the pregame and postgame shows on FOX Sports North for the Twins, Wild and Timberwolves nightly since 2004 and served as the television play-by-play announcer for the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team the past two seasons. LaPanta has also served as a play-by-play announcer for the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Timberwolves on a fill in basis.

“I have dreamed of doing NHL play-by-play since I was very young,” said LaPanta. “To have this opportunity in my hometown is truly special. I am a lifelong resident of the State of Hockey, and hockey is in my blood. From my work covering the Minnesota Wild for the last eight years, to calling games at the high school and college level, to spending as much of my free time as possible as a youth hockey dad, the game has been a huge part of my life. This is the opportunity of a lifetime for me.”

Before joining FOX Sports North, LaPanta was the television voice of the St. Paul Saints for ten seasons and was the radio play-by-play announcer for the Twins in 1999. He has won four regional Emmy Awards (two for play-by-play and two for anchor/host) and was involved with the development of the Hockey Day Minnesota concept. LaPanta and his wife, Margo, have four children, and reside in Shoreview, Minn., where he is active in the hockey community.

LaPanta will team with television analyst Mike Greenlay on FOX Sports North, the exclusive local television home for Wild hockey. Greenlay enters his 11th year as the Wild’s television analyst since being assigned to the post on Aug. 13, 2002. The former goaltender previously served as the radio analyst for the Anaheim Ducks (1999-2001) and the Nashville Predators (1998-99) and also worked as a television analyst on several networks.

“This is a great opportunity for Anthony, we’re enthusiastic about his new role in our Wild telecasts,” said Mike Dimond, Senior Vice President and General Manager for FOX Sports North. “Anthony has worked long and hard as the face of our network. We’ll miss him in that capacity, but thankful he’ll still be part of our network moving forward

Related articles

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• Anthony LaPanta is going to be the play-by-play for the Wild

• LaPanta to be play-by-play for Wild (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

LaPanta to be play-by-play for Wild

There are going to be a lot of people that aren't going to be very happy with this move if Anthony LaPanta becomes the voice of the Minnesota Wild - LaPanta did play-by-play for the Gopher this past season and there are a lot of Gopher fans that aren't very fond of his work either. I don't think that LaPanta is a bad announcer per se, but I think the Wild could do better in selecting a personality that the fans could get behind.

Personally, I liked Dan Terhaar and thought he did a good job with the Wild. Terhaar also called hockey games for the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux.

Michael Russo, Russo's Rants --- It's looking more and more like Anthony LaPanta, the man with the most famous hair in the Twin Cities and Fox Sports North's longtime studio host for pre- and post-games for the Wild, Twins and Wolves, will be the Wild's next television play-by-play man.

If officially hired, he'll replace Dan Terhaar, whose contract was not renewed last month after seven seasons at the microphone. That move could happen as early as Monday. The Wild last week ironed out new deals with TV color man Mike Greenlay and the radio team of Bob Kurtz and Tom Reid.