Philadelphia Flyers veterans Erik Johnson and Garnet Hathaway are scheduled to play key roles during the 2024-25 NHL Season. Hathaway, 32, signed a two-year, $4.8 million extension with Philly on July 1st that will keep him around Broad Street for a few more seasons. Meanwhile, Erik Johnson re-signed with the Flyers the same day on a one-year, $1 million contract for his 17th season of NHL action.
For the first time, the NHL brought a select group of NHL players to New York City for an opportunity to learn more about the hockey broadcasting world at the NHL offices in Manhattan on July 17.
Plenty of Flyers Love During Inaugural Broadcasting Camp
Despite the NHL playing status for next season, it is never too early for athletes to invest in themselves and plan for the post-playing career that will likely come far sooner than they would ideally like. The two Flyers vets jumped on the opportunity to receive some broadcasting training presented by the NHL on July 17 in a one-of-a-kind event for NHL athletes.
Former Flyers Nate Thompson and Michael Del Zotto joined Hathaway and Johnson as part of the inaugural training class. In total, 9 total current or recently retired NHL players joined former Flyers goalie Brian Boucher and his broadcasting teammates for the unique event. In-studio host, Ashlyn Sullivan, was also on hand in NYC to provide her expertise to the athletes.
Flyers’ vet Erik Johnson was a bit surprised about the amount of preparation work that is required for a single NHL broadcast. “The biggest thing for me would be all the notes and research that goes into this,” Johnson said. “You talk to them and if they’re doing a Dallas-Edmonton [game], they’re watching that team’s previous two games to get ready, to prep for that current game. They have years and years of notes and stats. To say they’re professionals is probably an understatement.”
NHL Brings Top Talent to NYC for Players
Star broadcaster Kenny Albert joined his TNT broadcast buddies Brian Boucher and Eddie Olczyk to present the educational broadcasting event to high-level athletes. ESPN Studio host Steve Levy was also on hand to lend his brainpower and experience to the festivities. Levy indicates the athletes had the biggest question about the in-ear monitor that broadcasters contend with during live broadcasts:
“The IFB, that squiggly wire, the cord, that looks scary,” Levy said. “I see them all staring out of the corner their eye, ‘What am I doing with that? I’ve got to put that in my ear? What’s that going to feel like? Wait, somebody’s talking to me while I’m also talking?’ I feel like that’s the thing that throws them off maybe a little bit, and that is one of the biggest skills in our business. That’s an acquired skill that takes repetition, takes some getting used to.”
Former and current Flyers take part in the NHL’s Broadcast Training Camp
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly created the additional program to allow NHL athletes to transition to working in hockey once their playing days are completed. The NHL and NHLPA have worked together since 2013 with the creation of the NHL/NHLA Player Orientation Program which allows a team representative to work with athletes to provide resources to programs operated by the league like this summer’s Broadcasting Camp.
Bettman shines some light that the goal of the experience is two-fold:
“This whole process has a dual purpose,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “One, it gives players, former players, something to focus on as to their next career. And it keeps them close to the game, which is important to the players. But at the same time, having an opportunity to have a new group of broadcasters who are close to the game, have a unique perspective on the game, is another way for our fans to be connected to the game and get new and different insights from the perspective of a former player.”
Following the conclusion of the first-ever event, NHL veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto called it a “great learning experience” and a “no-brainer” for NHL players to look into when counting down the final playing days of an NHL career.
AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez
