Best NHL announcers of all time

Dan Kelly was the first hockey announcer I ever heard, listening to KMOX from down in Tulsa in my youth, and will always be my favorite. His son John was the Avalanche PBP guy when I lived in Colorado in the 90's, and sounded very much like his dad.

As far as National, Mike Emrick. His passion may have some critics, but it's why you care every time you watch a telecast with him on the call.

From a local team perspective, Bob Miller (Los Angeles Kings) who just retired, and Pete Weber (Buffalo and Nashville).

I am biased to Pat Foley because I grew up a Blackhawks fan, and still pull for them to do well even though I am not a die-hard, but Doc is the GOAT.
Used to enjoy Bob Cole and Harry Neale when I went to college in Toledo and watched plenty of hockey on CBC out of Windsor.

Reference my earlier post about Fort Wayne's late Bob Chase...
In Mike Emrick's high school and college days he would attend Fort Wayne Komet games, and record his call on a portable tape recorder. He'd then hit up Bob Chase to have him critique the performance. If you ever had a chance to listen to Bob, you East Coasters who got WOWO's 50 KW signal especially, you hear a lot of him in Doc's delivery. At least that's my opinion.
Chaser's favorite call was "A DRIVE!" for a shot by a Komet. In my opinion Doc Emrick honors Bob every game he's on the mic, just by being there.
But Pat Foley is right up there too. Same feeling for the game. Makes it fun.

My mother, who grew up 60 miles from Fort Wayne and listened to WOWO religiously growing up, still fondly remembers Bob Chase. She and some friends occasionally drove up to Fort Wayne to see Komets games, more than likely because they heard them all the time on WOWO.

I also listened to Chase back in the 70's, when WOWO would boom into the East Coast at night.
Later I lived about an hour away in Michigan. He was amazing. Remained very sharp even at
a very advanced age.

schmave said:

I am biased to Pat Foley because I grew up a Blackhawks fan, and still pull for them to do well even though I am not a die-hard, but Doc is the GOAT.
Used to enjoy Bob Cole and Harry Neale when I went to college in Toledo and watched plenty of hockey on CBC out of Windsor.

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Did you ever hear Dick Irvin Jr? He was the Montreal guy back then for CBC. Don Wittman did the games out west, if i remember too.

FreddyE1977 said:

I also listened to Chase back in the 70's, when WOWO would boom into the East Coast at night.
Later I lived about an hour away in Michigan. He was amazing. Remained very sharp even at
a very advanced age.

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Chaser remained VERY sharp to the last.
He died of heart failure late last year (2016) and to my knowledge never took the mic for this season. He was right behind Vin Scully for length of time on air with one team, but any record like that didn't mean as much as the Komets themselves. He lived for the Ks and the community, and it was returned 110 percent.

danderson6500 said:

Did you ever hear Dick Irvin Jr? He was the Montreal guy back then for CBC. Don Wittman did the games out west, if i remember too.

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Extremely late response here but yes, I heard Dick Irvin several times on CBC. Every time, however, was when he was teamed with Bob Cole and Harry Neale on Leafs-Canadiens games because Windsor got such a steady diet of Toronto (understandably).

Ken Kal, Mickey Redmond

I'm shocked that no-one mentioned Gene Hart of the Flyers. He's in the hockey hall of the fame.

Jul said:

I'm shocked that no-one mentioned Gene Hart of the Flyers. He's in the hockey hall of the fame.

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His play-by-play was infused with remarkable eloquence and considerable wit. That said, Gene Hart was a conspicuous homer.