Recently, we ran a series of articles asking hockey fans to grade their local announcers. You responded in a big way and the result is the extremely thorough, totally scientific rankings you’ll find below.

The votes were tallied and weighed on a four-point scale: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1 and F = 0. From there, we calculated the average score based on the total votes and pulled out the most common grade for each team.

There may be a few outliers, but we feel the final product is a pretty fair representation of how hockey fans view announcers around the NHL.

Analysis of each team written by Dave Lozo, Liam McGuire, John Coppinger and David Rogers.

30. Pittsburgh Penguins: 1.27
-Paul Steigerwald (play by play)
-Bob Errey (analyst)

Most popular grade: F (46.13% of voters)

The Penguins had the highest percentage of F grades, and it wasn’t close. The Pens’ broadcast is among the top homeriffic broadcasts in the league, and Steigerwald’s low energy is more noticeable next to Pens radio legend Mike Lange.

29. Boston Bruins: 1.67
-Jack Edwards (play by play)
-Andy Brickley (analyst)

Most popular grade: F (37.49% of voters)

It’s love them or hate them. But you have to notice them, as the Bruins got more total votes than any team in the NHL with 987. Jack Edwards’ over the top homerism is adored in Boston, as this team actually got 20% A grades, I’m guessing mostly from New England. Edwards’ schtick isn’t so well loved outside of the region, as they also got 37% F grades. There is no in between in Boston. Here are some examples as to why:

28. Colorado Avalanche: 1.82
-Mike Haynes (play by play)
-Peter McNab (analyst)

Most popular grade: C (35.28% of voters)

When it comes to homerism, Mike Haynes is the Hawk Harrleson of the hockey world. Nobody has a gap between Avalanche goals and opponent goals as wide as Mike Haynes. First the good …

And now the bad …

27. Minnesota Wild: 1.87
-Anthony LaPanta (play by play)
-Mike Greenlay (analyst)

Most popular grade: C (37.27% of voters)

Now we get into the soft underbelly of mediocre, as the teams start to get less and less hated. The Wild’s team of LaPanta and Greenlay fall below 20% of F votes, but a lot of C’s and D’s keep them down.

26. Nashville Predators: 1.90
-Willie Daunic (play by play)
-Stu Grimson (analyst)

Most popular grade: C (30.03% of voters)

This was a season of transition for the Predators as they sent Pete Weber to the radio side while his long time partner Terry Crisp now mans the studio. Daunic and Grimson have some work to do to win fans as television newbies, as they got the lowest percentage of A grades on the board.

25. Toronto Maple Leafs: 1.93
-Paul Romanuk, Dave Randorf (play by play)
-Greg Millen (analyst)

Most popular grade: B (27.69% of voters)

Voters weren’t kind to the Leafs broadcasting crew with most of the negativity being pointed towards Romanuk. Looking his name up on Twitter is a bloodbath, as his broadcast name mistakes are pointed out often. Randorf seems to be a lesser of two evils, although personally I think he’s solid. The broadcast crew had a 22.15% F rating.

24. Columbus Blue Jackets: 1.96
-Jeff Rimer (play by play)
-Jody Shelley (analyst)

Most popular grade: C (35.89% of voters)

Jeff Rimer is known as one of the best play-by-play announcers in the game. Former enforcer Jody Shelley is starting to find his game after three years as the Jackets’ color man. Shelley was a fan favorite as a player so there are a lot of B’s and C’s for this crew. But a lack of A’s keep the Jackets announcer score down.

23. Florida Panthers: 1.98
-Steve Goldstein (play by play)
-Denis Potvin (analyst)

Most popular grade: C (28.67% of voters)

The Panthers guys have more extreme votes than Columbus. More votes overall, and a higher percentage of A votes. But they have more D’s and F’s too in the 708 votes that they got. The Panthers announcers in general are known for being energetic between Goldstein, Potvin, and their radio guy Randy Moller.

About David Rogers

Editor for The Comeback and Contributing Editor for Awful Announcing. Lover of hockey, soccer and all things pop culture.