Forslund Signs New Multi-Year Deal

Kraken fans already have a plus-one in the win column for the fast-approaching NHL season. That’s because the team announced Thursday’s contract renewal of play-by-play man extraordinaire and future Hockey Hall of Famer John Forslund. The multi-year agreement assures Forslund will bring his supreme enthusiasm and hockey knowledge to the majority of games televised by the Kraken Hockey Network for seasons ahead while affording the popular broadcast personality—emphasis on personality—to continue work for national outlets in the U.S. and Canada.

“These have been the best five years of my career,” said Forslund. “It was an opportunity we [along with his wife, Natalie] could not refuse and now as we look ahead, I am happy I can continue to be the primary voice of the team.”

Forslund quickly identified why he calls his time with the Kraken the high point of his storied and hallowed career.  

“I'll tell you why, because it becomes personal,” said Forslund earlier this week. “I've had a lot of great highlights. I've been blessed to be in the NHL since 1991. This is my 42nd training camp at the pro level, plus seven years in the minor leagues ... but when my career was at a crossroads [Carolina Hurricanes surprised him with a lower-than-expected offer], it wasn't my decision. For the first time I didn't have anywhere to turn. The Kraken and [CEO] Tod [Leiweke] helped me get through that moment.”

Forslund was employed by NBC for a part-time slate of national games at the time, but he has always cherished working for a team and its loyal fans. 

“I missed the connection with the team,” said Forslund, who many consider the best in the business. “I missed the opportunity and the reward we get by being team broadcasters because you become the conduit to a fan base. When you don't have that, there's an empty place in your heart. I'll never forget Ron Francis and Tod reaching out and the initial contract. Then since I've been here, I've never been welcomed like this in a short period of time by a fan base.”

The Enthusiasm is Contagious

For his part, Kraken vice president of broadcast Ryan Schaber is over-the-moon delighted with the contract renewal. He savors working with Forslund and hearing his call in his headphones in the production truck. Plus, Schaber is excited about a heightening of the established and appealing chemistry between Forslund and partner J.T. Brown. 

“John provides something no other commentator does; the combination of information and education and entertainment,” said Schaber. “That doesn't happen a lot. Some play-by-play announcers are really good at one or two of those qualities, but to put all three of those things together, that’s why the Forslund call is second to none. He’s just a cut above.”

Forslund feels overjoyed the team approached him wanting to look at his future. “I was able to say to them, ‘OK, my future here is something I would really love to continue,’” said Forslund, already rounding into mid-season form as he prepares for Thursday’s home matchup against the Calgary Flames. “And I have other [national] opportunities; how can we make everything work?’  ... The franchise views [the national work] as a kind of a marquee for the team too. I am so grateful to the team for making it all work.”

On KHN broadcasts when Forslund is in another NHL city, host Ian Furness will handle play-by-play for home games. In the same situation on the road, Kraken Audio Network play-by-play man Everett Fitzhugh will move to the TV booth with radio host Mike Benton filling in as the play-by-play caller and analyst Al Kinisky at the mic on flagship KJR-93.3 FM and the audio network for all 84 games. 

Popular personalities Piper Shaw (in-game and post-game interviews plus reports throughout the broadcast) and Alison Lukan (lead analyst for pre-game, intermissions and post-game) are both back for their sixth seasons. KHN analyst and former NHLer Brett Festerling will work on “shoulder programming” shows, joining regulars Furness and Lukan. 

John and JT and Sky’s the Limit

While Forslund and Brown will miss the presence of analyst Eddie Olczyk, it represents a new and innovative chapter. Forslund can’t say enough about Brown’s rise as an analyst and says fans regularly stop him to share how much they enjoy the pair.

“He’s become a great friend,” said Forslund about Brown. “That's vitally important. When we first met, I said, ‘I'm coming from a different place, a different time, different generation. And we hold one strong thing in common– our love for hockey.’ I covered J.T. I watched his entire career. I was hoping at one point when he was waived that Carolina would take a crack at him because we needed a player like that at the time. It's funny we ended up working together.”

The bond is strong. They sit together on the team plane, share the common habit of extensive study of both the Kraken and the upcoming game’s opponent learning from each other’s unique perspective. 

“We talk a lot about the way the world is, about our families, about how we worked it all within the framework of this job,” said Forslund. “I bring that up because if you don't have that, you can fake it on the air, but you really can't be authentic ... that's where your on-air chemistry comes in ... I like the way we have our own identity as a tandem. I think the fans get that. You’ve got JT and his playing background and his personality. Then you have me, and what you see is what you get with me. J.T. knows that and vice versa.”

Forslund and Brown are also innovators. They approached Schaber this offseason to explore Brown continuing to broadcast from between player benches. The two broadcasters feel connected enough to inherently know each other’s cadence and temperament. Schaber was happy and supportive about the suggestion.

“They have a true friendship and it shows,” said Schaber. “It happened organically. Having that kind of friendship and chemistry, they can work in sync on the air, to the point now where they don't have to be sitting next to each other. I'm excited to see their relationship with each other and our fans blossom even more in the seasons ahead.”