Last season, Vegas Golden Knights fans were in for a treat. They got to witness their favorite hockey team hoist their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. It came at a 4-1 drubbing of a good Florida Panthers team. The broadcast team during the Stanley Cup Final was none other than Kenny Albert and Eddie Olczyk, the primary commentary duo for the NHL on TNT.
Olczyk has been a mainstay in hockey broadcasting for decades, starting in 2006-07. He's done work with the Chicago Blackhawks alongside Pat Foley. He was also paired with the legendary Mike "Doc" Emrick on NHL on NBC during that time, broadcasting the network's marquee games. Now that's a "tremendously tremendous" gig.
As for Albert, he's been in the business even longer, getting his start in 1990. He's recognized as a play-by-play announcer for the NFL on Fox and has done work for the NHL's Washington Capitals and NBA's Washington Bullets (now Wizards). While working for Fox, he also did hockey commentary for the NHL on Fox, branching him into the sport.
NHL fans won't be getting the duo for the Stanley Cup Final this season since TNT isn't broadcasting for this year. Instead, it'll be Disney who's broadcasting the championship round, rotating on a seasonal basis (next season, TNT will have the broadcast rights since it'll be an odd-numbered year). With that, let's meet the commentary team that'll be calling the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers.
Sean McDonough and Ray Ferraro are the announcers for this season's Stanley Cup Final
Sean McDonough and Ray Ferraro will handle commentary duties for this season's Stanley Cup Final. It's the second time Disney is broadcasting the championship round under their current contract, with 2022 being the first. McDonough has experience in all four North American major sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL), with his most recognizable work being Monday Night Football.
As for Ray Ferraro, he's a former NHL center who played from 1984 to 2002. He's played on various teams, including the Hartford Whalers, New York Rangers, and Atlanta Thrashers. The tenured hockey player also has two 40-goal seasons to his name, making him a recognizable NHL personality.
Some NHL fans aren't too fond of Disney having the rights to the Stanley Cup Final. They fear the company will inject unnecessary topics into their broadcasts, whether it's stuff about LeBron James, college softball teams, or other celebrity athletes and franchises. Meanwhile, Vegas Golden Knights fans are hoping they can see their team hoisting the Cup on TNT next season, adding to their totals. That would be excellent for Las Vegas to see.