A hometown favourite is about to be part of a ground-breaking broadcast.
Hextall on Hockey is heard every Tuesday and Thursday — morning, noon, afternoon, and night on 680 CJOB. Sometimes it’s an opinion piece on the latest success, or failure, of the Winnipeg Jets. Other times it’s providing insight on the direction, or lack of, by the NHL.
Early next month Leah Hextall will bring her considerable talent to an NHL play-by-play booth to be a part of what will be an historic broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet’s “Hometown Hockey.” In conjunction with International Women’s Day, Hextall will be joined by analyst Cassie Campbell-Pascall and reporter Christine Simpson to form the first-ever all female broadcast team for a nationally televised NHL broadcast when the Calgary Flames host the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, March 8.
“Growing up, many of us didn’t see women occupying the space that we will hold during this landmark broadcast,” said Hextall via email. “Representation matters and I’m proud to join such talented women as we continue to push for progress for women and girls.”
“If you see it, you can believe that you can be it! “
“This is exciting! Yes, there will be nerves as I make my NHL PxP debut but I have one of the best there is in Cassie Campbell-Pascall standing beside me,” said Hextall. “She was with me when I called my very first game in the CWHL and has supported me over the past two years to what will be a great moment on March 8.”
Hextall and Campbell-Pascall have worked together on six previous broadcasts. The March 8 game will be the twelfth national TV game for Leah on Sportsnet and ESPN.
In addition to the three talented women in front of the camera, the broadcast will also be produced by a female production team live from Calgary, Toronto and Salmon Arm, B.C., including Rogers Hometown Hockey executive producer Alison Redmond, game producer Maria Skinner, and director Dawn Landis.