Finally Joining The ‘Hometown’ Team

Back when Tyler Johnson was a child playing ball hockey on the streets of Spokane, he could barely envision a local NHL team in Washington state let alone doing a television broadcast for one. 

That TV part was still inconceivable a year ago when Johnson hung up his skates after an improbable 747-game, 433-point NHL career for the previously undrafted forward. But then, this past July, he was one of eight current and former players partaking in the third annual NHL Broadcast Training Camp in New York, where top TV play-by-play commentators and analysts teach them about life in the booth. 

“I went down and had a lot of fun at it,” Johnson said. “I thought it would be fun to at least pursue or try for a bit.” 

That pursuit will now carry into an actual TV job as Johnson is one of two upcoming additions to the Kraken Hockey Network panel during the team’s game broadcasts. Johnson makes his debut during Wednesday night’s KHN broadcast of the Kraken home game against Calgary and then again Nov. 7 against the New York Rangers, while Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Grant Fuhr – who has done TV work on Coachella Valley Firebirds games for years – will join the on-set panel for his first two matchups Nov. 23 and 25th.

The idea is for Johnson and Fuhr to fill in occasionally when former player Brett Festerling is not working any games alongside regular panelists Ian Furness and Alison Lukan. Festerling, who lives in British Columbia, works roughly half of the Kraken broadcasts. 

Bringing on a former homegrown Washington player such as Johnson, 36, who won two Stanley Cups with the Lightning, is a bit of a coup for a team and network that prides itself on helping further hockey development within the state. And Fuhr, 64, who won five Cups with the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s along with 403 regular season and 92 playoff games, is well-versed to offer insights on the steady stream on Coachella Valley players still on the AHL team and those who’ve already made the Kraken lineup. 

The two-day broadcast camp at the NHL head offices in Manhattan saw top TNT play-by-play man Kenny Albert, Steve Levy of ESPN and others, including former KHN analyst Eddie Olczyk, provide a crash course on hockey telecasts. Johnson, along with current and former players Patrick Maroon, Sean Durzi, Ryan Reaves, Ryan Malone, Cam Janssen, Jack Johnson and Dwayne Rolosen, got to sit in mic’d up booths and do commentary and well as use telestrators.  

“There were eight different modules there,” Johnson said. “In one, you’re pretending that you’re between the benches. Another, you’re doing the play-by-play or breaking it down with the telestrator. Another was interviewing. So, you’re doing a bunch of different things. 

“Then, they make a video for you. Kind of a little highlight package of what you did, what they liked and didn’t like and how you can get better. Then, you can take it and go from there.” 

Kraken vice-president (broadcast) Ryan Schaber found out Johnson had attended the camp and reached out. After some discussions, they decided to give it an on-air try. 

“For me, it was important to go back to the Northwest where I grew up and kind of be a part of the organization,” Johnson said. “Obviously, I couldn’t play there so this is the only way I can be a part of it.

“When I was a kid, I always wanted a team in Seattle. I thought that would have been the coolest thing to be able to play in Seattle in front of my friends and family. So now I get to kind of still be there and be a part of it. I’m really looking forward to it.” 

So is Fuhr, who’s been part of Firebirds radio and TV broadcasts since the team’s debut AHL season in 2022-23. He’ll bring that experience to the gig along with his detailed knowledge of Kraken prospects. 

“You guys will see Jani Nyman the next little while since he just got called up,” Fuhr said. “He's got off to a pretty good start this year. He’s got nine goals in nine games.” 

Fuhr has been a Nyman fan since he first arrived in North America from the Finnish pro ranks. 

“His biggest issue was his 200 foot game, but when he came back (to the AHL) last year from Seattle, it was way better,” Fuhr said. “He had more of a complete game. He didn't score quite as much, but the complete game was way better.” 

Fuhr also thinks defenseman Tyson Jugnauth has a shot at playing for the Kraken after getting off to a hot start. Same with defenseman Ty Nelson and forward Oscar Fisker Molgaard, currently out with an injury. 

“So, then you get Ryan Winterton, who’s already up there,” Fuhr said. “Obviously, you're seeing Ville Ottavainen this year as well. So, we’ve been pretty fortunate. We’ve had a lot of good kids go through (Coachella Valley) and up there.” 

For Johnson, his biggest challenge at the broadcast camp was being critical of players on-air. It’s something he knows will be required of the job and that he’ll have to get better at. 

“I don't really want to throw anyone under the bus,” Johnson said. “I've been in those situations. I understand when you mess up, you don't necessarily want people to point it out to everybody.  

“But I did learn that there are different ways that you can say it without you directly making it someone's fault. And I think that was a really neat thing that they kind of taught me.” 

He also has his onetime Lightning and AHL Syracuse Crunch teammate JT Brown, currently the KHN booth analyst alongside John Forslund to lean on for advice. But for now, while short on broadcast experience, he does have plenty of Cup-winning NHL life tucked away in his head he hopes will come across to KHN viewers.  

“I've been around the game for so long that I have a lot of experience,” Johnson said. “I really understand it, and hopefully, I can kind of educate and teach a little bit here and there. And then also just kind of make it fun for everyone.”