ESPN Hockey intermission commentators are Steve Levy, Linda Cohn, John Buccigross, Kevin Weekes and Arda Ocal covering the NHL.

ESPN has been a hub for NHL live coverage for over three decades, initiating its first-ever telecast of NHL games in the 1979-80 season.

However, following the 2003-04 season, NHL and ABC/ESPN could not negotiate favorable terms for the new contract, and the deal went off. Then NBC came into play, and they agreed with NHL to bring the hockey league to their network. 

At the beginning of the 2021-22 season, the parent company of ESPN, Walt Disney, made an effort to return NHL to ESPN. They shared the broadcasting right of the NHL with TBS in a seven-year contract. 

Along with traditional broadcasts, the deal features an extensive streaming element. ESPN and Hulu will have exclusive rights to seventy-five regular season games annually.

ESPN NHL Commentators are:

ESPN Hockey Intermission Crew

The intermission team for the ESPN are:

  • Steve Levy (lead host)
  • Arda Ocal
  • Linda Cohn
  • John Buccigross
  • Kevin Weekes

Hockey fans across the United States were thrilled regarding ESPN's return to NHL coverage from the 2020-21 season.

With a roster of experienced hockey broadcasters, analysts, and intermission crew members, ESPN aims to provide encyclopedic coverage of all the excitement and drama of the NHL season.

John Anderson and Levy (L) in a studio in 2005
Source : facebook

The intermission squad, led by famous American sportscaster Steve Levy, plays an integral role in ESPN's NHL telecasts, providing commentary and insight during breaks in the action.

The crew's main task is to hold the viewers without changing the channel on their TV, even during intermission. And they aim to do that by breaking down the game and players' performance

Each crew member fetches a unique outlook to the broadcast based on their experience as former players and sportscasters.

Taking the helm is S. Levy, who boasts the most extensive experience of anyone present, making him the natural choice for the position of lead studio host. He also has a long history with ESPN, joining the network in 1993.

Levy also served as a play-by-play announcer for various sports, including NHL, NFL, and college football. He became the lead studio host for NHL coverage on ESPN in 2021.

Weekes sharing a picture with Henrik Lundqvist in January 2022
Source : twitter

Meanwhile, Buccigross joined ESPN in 1996 as an anchor and began working as a studio host for NHL coverage in 1998. However, he moved to other projects in 2004 but returned to the NHL intermission crew in 2021.

Moreover, Weekes, a former NHL goaltender, is a regular on ESPN's NHL broadcasts, providing expert analysis on netminder play. He appeared in 348 games for seven NHL franchises, including Florida Panthers.

The remaining two intermission staff, Linda and Arda came in as studio hosts in 2021, bringing their vast knowledge and experience to the broadcast.

ESPN NHL Announcers List

ESPN hockey announcers tonight are:

  • Roxy Bernstein
  • Sean McDonough
  • Gord Miller
  • Kevin Weekes
  • Leah Hextall
  • Steve Levy
  • John Buccigross
  • Mike Monaco
  • Bob Wischusen

The hockey live on ESPN play-by-play announcers are the game's voices, consisting of a star-studded cast of Roxy Bernstein, Gord Miller, Leah Hextall, Mike Monaco, and a few familiar faces of the ESPN Hockey intermission announcers.

Buccigross and Levy are experienced play-by-play announcers with a wealth of knowledge about the game. Together with other crew members, they create dynamic ESPN Hockey announcers that enhance the viewing experience and bring fans closer to the action on the ice.

Allen Roxy Bernstein has been with ESPN since 2012, covering college basketball, football, and hockey. In 2021, he began calling NHL games for the network, bringing his lively and vibrant style to the broadcast.

S. McDonough (L) and Todd Blackledge on ESPN Radio in January 2017
Source : twitter

Leah Hextall, known for her insightful commentary, is another new addition to the ESPN NHL broadcast team, having joined the channel in 2021. 

March 2020 saw her in Sportsnet's historic all-female broadcast team, where she made history by becoming the first female to call play-by-play NHL games broadcasted all over the country.

Moreover, the oldest of the bunch, Sean McDonough, has been with ESPN since 1993 and is one of the network's most experienced announcers. He has enfolded various sports, including NHL, college football, and basketball, and has also worked for ABC Sports and CBS Sports.

Gord Miller has been a play-by-play announcer for NHL games on The Sports Network in Canada for many years and joined ESPN for the 2022 NHL playoffs. Aside from hockey, Miller has also covered basketball, track and field events.

Mike Monaco (R) watching college football game on ESPN studio
Source : linkedin

Mike Monaco joined ESPN in 2019 as a college basketball announcer and began calling NHL games for the network in 2021. Monaco has also worked for Fox Sports, ACC Network, and the Big Ten Network.

On the other hand, Bob Wischusen is an ESPN veteran who has covered a wide range of sports for the network since joining in 2006.

He was selected to call the opening night game for the 2022-23 NHL season. In the previous season, Bob worked as a play-by-play with Brian Boucher, Ray Ferraro, and Cassie Campbell.

ESPN NHL Studio Analysts

ESPN NHL analysts in the studio are:

  • Mark Messier
  • Brian Boucher
  • Chris Chelios
  • Cassie Campbell-Pascall
  • Ray Ferraro
  • Dominic Moore
  • AJ Mleczko
  • Rick DiPietro
  • PK Subban
  • Barry Melrose
  • Ryan Callahan
  • Hilary Knight

ESPN NHL studio analysts include respected hockey experts like Brian Boucher, Barry Melrose, Mark Messier, and Hilary Knight. Each brings a unique perspective on live stream, based on their years of experience covering the hockey league.

A former NHL player and coach, Barry Melrose is the lead studio analyst who has been with ESPN since 1996.

Melrose is one of the most well-known faces on ESPN hockey, thanks to his extensive exposure to hockey. He became the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008 but returned to the network in 2021.

Mark Messier is an NHL Hall of Famer who has been a lead studio analyst and color commentator for ESPN since 2021. The Canadian former NHL legend played for 25 seasons with three different teams.

A young female ESPN studio analyst won the  IIHF World Women's Championship gold medal in 2023
Source : instagram

Chris Chelios is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and a Hockey Hall of Famer. He is known for his toughness on the ice and ability to break down games from a player's perspective.

ESPN color commentator and studio analyst Ryan Callahan is a former NHL player who played for the Rangers, Lightning, and Senators during his career. Callahan is a sports veteran with a wealth of knowledge about the sport.

Hilary Knight, a current professional women's hockey player, joined the network in 2022 as a studio analyst and Inside the Glass analyst, bringing her experience as a gold medalist with the US women's national team. 

Additionally, Brian Boucher and Dominic Moore are retired NHL players who now work as analysts for ESPN.