JOHN AHLERS, PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
John Ahlers is the play-by-play voice on KCAL9 and Fox Sports West 2 for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Prior to his past three years in Anaheim, he was the play-by-play voice from 1999-2002 for the Tampa Bay Lightning. With a 15-year broadcast career and over 1,100 games covered, Ahlers has also worked as the host of the Lightning pre-game show and Lightning Weekly, a magazine format program aired on Florida’s Sunshine Network.

Ahlers has been the radio voice of the International Hockey League (IHL) team, Detroit Vipers for five years as well as broadcasting IHL Game of the Week and Turner Cup Finals Fox Sports Net. He has received many awards while working with the Vipers including the IHL Broadcaster of the Year in 1995 and Emmys for Best Sports Broadcasts in 1995 and 1998.

JOE BENINATI, PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
Joe Beninati is currently working his 12th season of TV play-by-play with the Washington Capitals as the lead voice for Comcast Sportsnet (CSN).  In past years, he has freelanced with ESPN, NHL Radio, and WFAN-New York broadcasts during the regular season, Stanley Cup Playoffs, and World Cup of Hockey. In 2002 and 2006 he provided radio play-by-play for Westwood One coverage of the Olympic Men’s Hockey tournaments in Salt Lake City and Torino.  This winter will be his second calling select men’s college hockey games on College Sports Television (CSTV).  Prior to joining the NHL ranks, he spent five years in the American Hockey League with the Maine Mariners and Providence Bruins.
 
Off the rink, Joe has TV / Radio credits that include five years as the play-by-play voice of Major League Lacrosse on ESPN2 and two seasons with the WNBA Washington Mystics, as well as spot duty with the NBA Washington Wizards, the Baltimore Orioles in MLB, and major college football on Westwood One.  He has handled TV play-by-play for ACC basketball, football, and lacrosse involving the University of Maryland on CSN.
 
A three-time Capital Region Emmy Award winner for excellence in composite play-by-play, Joe is a graduate of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where he began his broadcast career as sports information director.

ANDY BRICKLEY, ANALYST
A hockey veteran, Andy Brickley played 14 years of NHL hockey, including four seasons from 1988-1992. Playing three seasons with the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, Brickley was named All-New England, All-East, and first-team NCAA All-American in 1982, when he led his team to the NCAA final four.

Brickley started his broadcasting career in 1996 when supplying color commentary for the Boston Bruins, moving to television a year later as color analyst for two seasons on UPN38, eventually joining the NESN team in 2000. Along with providing commentary for the NHL, Brickley also broadcasted for the AHL, IHL, and amateur hockey. He resides in Massachusetts with his wife Diane, and two daughters Jenna and Michaela.

JACK EDWARDS, PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
Jack Edwards is a 26-year broadcast veteran who joined New England Sports Network as the Bruins road play-by-play announcer in 2005. He was an NHL play-by-play announcer for ESPN from 1999-2003 and also served as the primary play-by-play announcer for HDNet’s NHL broadcasts during the 2003-04 season.

He worked as a talk radio host for WRKO in Boston and a weekend anchor at WJAR-TV in Providence during the early 80s which led to sports anchor and reporter positions at both WCVB-TV and WHDH-TV in Boston. During that time Edwards was also a reporter for ABC’s Wide World of Sports and was an alpine skiing announcer during the winter Olympics coverage for ABC (1988) and Olympic Winterfest coverage for CBS (1991).

He joined ESPN in 1991 as an anchor and reporter for SportsCenter and won a national Emmy for reporting. Currently Edwards is a senior partner and executive producer for Fountainhead Production, an independent film and TV production company specializing in high definition productions located in Simsbury, CT.

DARREN ELIOT, ANALYST
Darren Eliot has served as the Thrashers’ TV analyst since the team's 1999-2000 Inaugural Season, garnering two Emmys during his tenure. Additionally, he has overseen the organization’s community hockey programming efforts for the past six seasons, including the groundbreaking Jr. NHL All-Star tournament that accompanied the NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta.
 
Eliot joined the Thrashers' television team after spending two seasons as a broadcaster for the Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks. He has also worked extensively as an analyst for Versus since the network began nationally airing NHL action in 2005-06.

Beyond broadcasting, Eliot writes a weekly column, "View from the Ice," for SI.com – something he has had the pleasure of doing since 2001. He has also written extensively for NHL.com, atlantathrashers.com and Versus.com, while contributing as well to The Hockey News. Prior to his career in broadcasting, Darren worked for Computer Methods Corporation, a software-consulting firm headquartered in Livonia, MI. There he served as president of CMC's engineering services subsidiary, EnGenius, Inc., from 1997-99.

A 1983 graduate of Cornell University with a degree in agricultural economics, Darren earned membership into the Red Key Society for students exemplifying excellence in academics and athletics. With the Big Red, Eliot was a two-time All-Ivy selection and earned All-America honors as a senior. He entered the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.

Following his collegiate career, Eliot committed to the Canadian National program, culminating in competing for Team Canada in the 1984 Olympic Games in Sarajevo. From that experience, he went on to tend goal for the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres.

Darren and wife Meredith have two daughters -- Avery and Gillian -- and a son, Mitchell. The family resides in Duluth, Ga.

MIKE ‘DOC’ EMRICK, LEAD PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
Veteran NHL announcer Mike “Doc” Emrick is the main play-by-play voice for VERSUS NHL coverage. In his 25th year of NHL play-by-play announcing, Emrick began his hockey career in 1973 as caller for the IHL Port Huron Flags. He has been the voice of the New Jersey Devils since 1993, and was previously play-by-play announcer for the Philadelphia Flyers from 1988 to 1993. He has announced NHL games for all of the major television networks and has received several awards, including the 1997 National CableACE Award for best play-by-play, the 1997 and 2004 New York Emmy Awards for his Devils telecasts and the 2004 Lester Patrick Trophy.

Emrick is a member of the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee, has served as Vice President of the NHL Broadcaster’s Association since 1985 and has been editor of the NHL Pronunciation Guide since 1982. He earned his bachelor’s degree in speech from Manchester College in 1968, a master’s degree in radio/television from Miami University in Ohio in 1969 and a doctorate in radio/television/film from Bowling Green State University in 1976, which earned him the nickname “Doc,” as he’s known to many of his fans. Born in LaFontaine, Ind., Emrick resides in Michigan with his wife, Joyce.

BRIAN ENGBLOM, ANALYST
Engblom played for University of Wisconsin for two years before being drafted by Montreal as their third pick, 22nd overall, during the 1974-1975 season.

Engblom went on to help the Nova Scotia Voyageurs win two consecutive Calder Cup Championships and earned the AHL first-team All-Star honors. Engblom continued his career by joining the Canadians during the 1977 Stanley Cup play-offs, where he helped them achieve three consecutive Stanley Cup championships.

During the next 11 years of Engblom’s career, he played on various NHL teams including the Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, and the Canadian national team before a neck injury forced his retirement in 1986. Since then, Engblom has served as an analyst for ABC sports, ESPN, ESPN 2 and Los Angeles radio station XTRA-Radio. Beginning in 2004, Engblom served as the voice of the Columbus Blue Jackets for FSN Ohio. Brian's family includes wife, Rebekah, and five step-children.

JOHN FORSLUND, PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
Receiving the Ken MacKenzie award in 1989 for his announcing work with the AHL’s Springfield Indians, John Forslund teamed up with the Carolina Hurricanes to provide play-by-play broadcasts on the television for the past 12 years. Joining the organization in 1991, Forslund began his career as Public Relations Director and continued that position for four seasons. While with the Hurricanes, he was also the color analyst for the Hartford Whalers for the Whalers Radio Network. Forslund also provides color broadcasts on the Hurricanes radio network when the team is not playing on television. John’s family includes wife, Natalie, daughter, Erika and son, Matthew.

BOB HARWOOD, REPORTER
Bob Harwood is in his fourth season as an in-game reporter for VERSUS. Prior to joining the network in 2005, Bob was the lead reporter and one of the original announcers on Leafs TV, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 24-hour network. For four years he traveled with the Leafs throughout the entire season and playoffs, providing pre- and post-game interviews and analysis. Bob anchored a number of studio shows and special reports for the network.

Harwood has been a college hockey announcer on networks such as NESN, Empire and Prime, as well as reporting for the Canadian sports network The Score. From 1996 to 1999 he was a sports anchor and reporter at KIRO-7, the CBS affiliate in Seattle. He also anchored sports for four years at WCAX-3 in Vermont.

Bob, who is also in his first season as Versus' Ivy League Football coverage, currently resides in Westfield, VT.

BILLY JAFFE, REPORTER
Billy Jaffe is color commentator for the New York Islanders.

Playing hockey for the University of Michigan from 1987-1989, he then served as team-captain for the silver-medal winning team USA at the World Maccabiah Games in Israel in 1997. Beginning his broadcasting career in 1998 in Chicago, Jaffe joined the Thrashers in 2000 after spending the 1999-2000 season as the radio and station analyst for the Wolves. In October 2001, Jaffe served as color commentator for Fox Sports Net’s Emmy Award winning broadcast of the Cold War game between University of Michigan and Michigan State.

In 2004-2005, Jaffe acted as the lead analyst for the College Sports’ Television Network’s “Friday Night Hockey” game of the week. He also served as a speaker for the Atlanta Hawks Read to Achieve program and continued as an instructor in many Atlanta Thrashers Hockey Schools programs. He lives in Georgia with his wife, Victoria.

KEITH JONES, STUDIO ANALYST
Nine-year NHL hockey player Keith Jones was a mid-round draft pick of the Washington Capitals in 1988, and he stepped into their line-up in 1992 following his four year stay at Western Michigan University, where as a rookie, he potted 12 goals and 26 points in 71 games. In 1996, Jones was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, where he was paired with skilled centers that resulted in the best goal output of his career. In 63 games, he scored 23 goals and managed 43 points while continuing to play his antagonistic style. After a few setbacks and injuries, Jones was traded in 1999 to the Philadelphia Flyers for his final season. In 2000, the high-scoring power forward reluctantly announced his retirement due to repeated knee injuries.

Jones continued his involvement in hockey after his playing days were done by working in radio and television as a broadcaster. He has had a key role at Comcast Sportsnet in Philadelphia calling the Flyers' games for five steady years, and is currently the sports announcer on 610 WIP. Most recently, Jones has been a well-known hockey personality and analyst on Canada’s TSN.

EDDIE OLCZYK, ANALYST
Starting off his professional hockey career, Olczyk was drafted in the first round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the Blackhawks. He played for 16 years, with Chicago, Toronto, Winnipeg, New York Rangers, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh.

After his playing career, Olczyk began broadcasting the Penguins’ telecasts for Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh from 2000-2003 and also broadcasted games on ESPN, ESPN2, and NHL Radio. He is also the color analyst for all Blackhawk telecasts on Comcast SportsNet. He is a color analyst on both NBC and VERSUS.

RICK PECKHAM, PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
Peckham has been broadcasting professional hockey for the past 29 seasons, and is entering his 12th season as the play-by-play announcer for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sun Sports. As a 1977 graduate of Kent State University with a major in telecommunications, Peckham was the play-by-play announcer for the Hartford Whalers on Sports Channel New England for from 1984-1995 and was part of the New England Emmy-award winning live sports-production team in 1993.

In the past, Peckham has been a broadcaster for NHL action on Sports Channel America, ESPN, and served as announcer for the radio and television broadcasts of the AHL Rochester Americans. He resides in Tampa with his wife, Vickie and their two sons, Alex and Matthew.

DARYL ‘RAZOR’ REAUGH, ANALYST
As a former goal tender for Edmonton and Hartford from 1985-1993, Daryl ‘Razor’ Reaugh was named Hartford television color commentator in the 1995-1996 season. The following year, he joined Dallas to cover their hockey telecasts as color commentator through 2004, where he remains today. In 1996, 1997, and 2000 he was color commentator on ESPN for the Stanley Cup playoffs. He broadcasted for Fox TV in 1997-1998 for NHL coverage and playoffs and served as studio analyst in 1999-2001 for ABC’s television coverage of the NHL seasons. Daryl resides in Texas with his wife, Kristin and two daughters, Falyn and Kendyl.

CHRISTINE SIMPSON, REPORTER
Now in her fourth season with Versus, Ontario native Christine Simpson worked for the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto for several years as Marketing Manager where she developed strong relationships with many of the shrine's members. She also travelled with the Stanley Cup as part of her job responsibilities. After 10 years with Rogers Sportsnet as a hockey features reporter profiling top players and personalities in the game, Simpson took on a position with NHL Network. It is there that she hosts "Captains", a 30-minute show devoted to an NHL team captain. 

Simpson, who also worked as a rinkside reporter for ABC/ESPN, is considered to be on the forefront of women’s sports broadcasting in Canada. She is known in the business for her extraordinary interviewing skills, and her positive persistence is well-respected among industry leaders. Simpson currently resides in Toronto.

DAVE STRADER, PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER
Currently the play-by-play voice of the Florida Panthers, Dave Strader has been a veteran of NHL broadcasting since 1979, when he was the public relations director and radio play-by-play announcer for the Adirondack Red Wings until 1985. Most noticeably, Strader made his debut as hockey play-by-play commentator for the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino.

From 1996-2004, Strader provided play-by-play broadcasts for approximately 60 ESPN national NHL telecasts, also providing play-by-play for the NHL All-Star game and Stanley Cup Finals for the NHL International broadcasts. Throughout his career, he has also commented for select NHL regional telecasts on FOX. Dave and wife, Colleen have three sons, Christopher, Casey, and Trevor.

JOHN VANBIESBROUCK, ANALYST
“The Beezer” was goaltender for the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. He began with the Rangers in 1983 and finished with the Devils in 2002.

Vanbiesbrouck finished his career with a record of 374 wins against 346 losses and 119 ties and is generally considered to be one of the top American goaltenders in NHL history. Winning the Vezina Trophy in 1986, Breezer was selected to the NHL All-Star team in 1986, 1994, 1996, and 1997 and was the backup goalie for the American team at the 1997 Winter Olympics. In 2005, Vanbiesbrouck worked as the HDNHL Analyst. He currently resides in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario with his family.