When his colleague asked if he would consider trying out for the public address announcer’s job, Murray dismissed the idea. But when pressed for a reason, Murray came up short.
“I didn’t have an answer,” Murray said. “I never thought of it.”
He didn’t grow up around hockey, so the job wasn’t even on his radar, but he thought it could be fun. When he called his wife, Julie, Murray joked that she was surprisingly supportive.
“This woman, with a 3-year-old and a 9-month-old at home, said, ‘Well, that could be good for your career,’” Murray said. “What was going through her mind was, ‘You know nothing about hockey. You're never gonna get this job, so go ahead.’ Little did she know.”
To prepare, Murray shadowed the public address announcers for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators.
“I got to sit with John Barbero, who was the legendary PA guy for the Pens for years and years,” Murray said. “I sat up at the top of the United Center and watched the Blackhawks. It was really cool.”
Murray began the audition process, which ended up lasting almost a year, and it ended with him and Julie deciding to commit to one year with the Blue Jackets.
“That was 25 seasons ago,” Murray said. “They just keep printing me credentials.”
Since then, Murray’s typical gameday routine hasn’t changed much. He arrives at the arena a few hours early to prepare and for a quick meeting with the organization’s game presentation staff to ensure the night runs smoothly.
In a league that has included players with such names as Per Svartvadet, Brady Skjei and Arber Xhekaj, Murray said practice is key.
“The main thing is player names,” he said. “The first thing I'll do is come in and go through the entire roster of the visiting team and make sure I know how to announce things.
“We've got a website that the PA announcers all contribute to at the beginning of the season. We'll each go through our individual rosters and record the players' names. I’ll also go to YouTube and listen to opposing teams’ calls for goals and such because you can pretty much find everybody.”
If he wants to make sure, Murray will ask the visiting radio team to confirm the correct pronunciation.
When his preparation is complete, Murray enjoys dinner, then takes a lap around the concourse for some movement before puck drop, where he often ends up in conversation with CBJ fans.
Twenty-five years have left Murray with special memories. Unsurprisingly, his favorite game was Game 4 of the 2019 playoff series against Tampa Bay, when the Blue Jackets completed the first-round sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy winner.
“I mean, this place was ridiculous,” Murray said. “When the sweep happened, nobody left the building. Nick Foligno and Cam Atkinson spoke, and everyone stayed in their seats. We had waited 20 years for this.
“The team went down the tunnel, and people were still kind of milling about in the seats, and I couldn't bring myself to leave. I just sat in the penalty box and looked around until every person walked out.”
Opposite of the roaring playoff crowd, Murray also remembers the moment of silence for the Blue Jackets founder, John H. McConnell, after his passing in 2008.
“The opening night after Mr. Mac passed, I got the chance to emcee,” Murray said. “We did a moment of silence for him. Everybody got a hat, and we tipped a hat to Mr. Mac. When we did that, I was acutely aware of the HVAC system in the ceiling.
I could hear it running. That's how quiet it was.”
Back behind the mic, Murray introduces the teams, and the puck is dropped. When a goal is scored or a penalty is called, he announces it. When the Blue Jackets draw a penalty, everyone looks forward to the iconic phrase that comes next.
“JACKETS, ON THE POWER PLAAAAAAY!”
According to Murray, the phrase was created organically. He credits Kimberly Kershaw, the team’s former director of event presentation and video production, for the idea.
“One day, she said, ‘I want you to say Jackets on the power play,’” Murray said. “So I said it, and I looked at her, and she goes, ‘That was okay. Next time, I want you to say it really big.’
“Next time we went on a power play, I turned on the mic, and I have no idea where it came from, but what came out of my mouth is literally what you hear now, going back to season one.
“I do it live every time. I described it to somebody recently as, every time, I want it to come from my toes, as if my life depends on it. I put everything I can into Jackets on the power play.”
Away from the rink, the Murray family has created a legacy of service and faith. When Julie’s mother passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in 2017, they became advocates for Alzheimer’s research.
“I caught my wife at a weak moment and suggested that we do a golf outing, and she agreed,” Murray said. “Over the past five years we've done a charity golf outing called Voices Fore ALZ, with all of the proceeds benefiting the Central Ohio Alzheimer's Association."
Murray said the event has raised almost a quarter of a million dollars for Alzheimer’s research, education and resources.
As his final season winds down, Murray has found himself reflecting on his time with the Blue Jackets, but he is also looking forward to what the future holds. He is excited to make new memories at Nationwide Arena – from the stands, this time.
“I've made sacrifices and missed some things for my kids,” he said. “Every time somebody asks why I’m retiring,
I say, ‘I’ve got a list a mile long of people I want to go to a hockey game with.’ I've never been to a hockey game with my sons. They've been in the building. They've been here for a game. They've seen me do what I do, but I've never sat with them. They're 29 and 26, and now I've got a grandson.”
