ESPN Hires Chris Chelios To Join Mark Messier In NHL Studio

ESPN Hires Chris Chelios To Join Mark Messier In NHL Studio

ESPN has added another Hall of Famer to their NHL coverage in Chris Chelios, via the New York Post. Chelios will join Mark Messier to make up ESPN’s top studio team for the NHL.

ABC/ESPN and TNT will take over national coverage of the NHL starting next season. ABC/ESPN will also have four of the next seven Stanley Cups. TNT and ESPN have been acting like rival franchises in a mad dash to sign any and all free agents. TNT signed Wayne Gretzky, and ESPN responded by signing Messier. Now ESPN has taken the next step and signed Chelios.

Chelios is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, winning twice with the Detroit Red Wings and once with the Montreal Canadiens, who are back in the cup final. Chelios previously worked for ESPN as an analyst on the World Cup of Hockey.

ESPN is preparing themselves and their NHL broadcasts for next season. They have already signed Ray Ferraro and Brian Boucher as game analysts, and the duo is expected to be part of the Cup Final coverage. Steve Levy and Sean McDonough are contenders for the top play-by-play job. Kevin Weekes was also hired by ESPN as a studio and game analyst, and Leah Hextall was hired for play-by-play and other roles.

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ESPN is loading up for their NHL broadcasting next season, but only time will tell if these moves pay off.