SPORTSNET HOST RYAN LESLIE

““LIVING THE DREAM “ “

ROGERS SPORTSNET HOST RYAN LESLIE

By Jeremy Freeborn

photos courtesy of ryan leslie

On June 11, 2018, veteran Calgary Flames broadcaster Roger Millions announced his retirement from broadcasting. In the wake of his retirement as television host for Flames games, Sportsnet hired Ryan Leslie from Flames TV to take over. In his first three years of the position full-time, Leslie loves it and is “living the dream” when it comes to hockey broadcasting. Leslie grew up in Owen Sound and Port Dover, Ont. Unlike many people in southern Ontario, he was not a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. His favourite team was the Montreal Canadiens and Leslie idolized the magical skill set of Guy Lafleur. During this time it was difficult and expensive to go to NHL games, especially games at the old Maple Leaf Gardens, in Toronto. Leslie remembers his first NHL game live as a spectator. He was in attendance on Jan. 5, 1991, between the Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings. With the Kings leading 3-2 late in the second period, Maple Leafs defenseman and former Flames Rob Ramage shot a stick that was lying on the ice towards Wayne Gretzky. Instantly Gretzky was granted a penalty shot. Leslie was right behind the Maple Leafs net and believes Gretzky winked at him before going one-on-one with Toronto goaltender Peter Ing. It would be Ing that got the best of Gretzky in this moment with a pad save. However, the Kings went on to win the game 4-2. “I have been in every rink since,” said Leslie in an interview with the Calgary Hockey Magazine. “That one (and that game) will always resonate.”

Leslie had dreams of being the next Bob Cole. While growing up, he constantly muted the television so he could call games. At a young age, he knew he wanted to be a hockey television broadcaster. In 1993, Leslie started the broadcasting program at Mohawk College in Hamilton. He graduated in 1995. Around this time, he did an internship at Eastern Michigan University where he covered college basketball’s premier event—March Madness. He moved to Calgary in 1996. Initially he worked with Shaw Television, the director of entertainment with the Calgary Hitmen, and doing the University of Calgary’s public address announcing for the men’s and women’s volleyball and basketball teams. When Joe Sports became ill with cancer, a sports broadcasting position opened up at Global Television. Leslie was hired by Global TV Sports Director Grant Pollock. He remained with Global for five years.

After that, Leslie joined Rogers Sportsnet and covered hockey, baseball and soccer. He briefly moved to Toronto during the 2012-13 NHL lockout. Once a settlement was reached between the players and owners, he returned to Calgary and worked one season on radio for the FAN 960. Then a position became available for Flames TV and Leslie worked there for the next five years. Over this time, he also worked part-time for Rogers Sportsnet, as he started traveling with the Flames on the road. Then he had a regular role as Flames host for most regular season Flames games on television when Roger Millions retired in 2018. Leslie thanks Millions for his encouragement, calling him “gracious” and “supportive.” Millions had been ready to change fields for some time and in 2018 moved into a career in politics. Over the last three seasons, Leslie is grateful to have worked with outstanding teammates, among them play-by-play announcer Rick Ball, colour commentator Kelly Hrudey, and a number of producers and technicians. (Interestingly, it was Hrudey who was the Kings’ goalie the night Leslie saw his first NHL game live.) Leslie is thankful to the Flames themselves, as he thoroughly enjoyed his time connecting the players with many of the fans on Flames TV.

This past spring, Leslie was part of the Sportsnet broadcast team during the Stanley Cup playoffs in Edmonton. Unlike many of the players and officials, he was not part of the bubble and was able to come and go. Leslie was impressed with how well the NHL put everything together. “It was a unique situation,” he said. “Some days for the first time in my career, I was doing three games. That meant coming in early and that meant leaving really late. It was really, really well done. I don’t want to see that sort of thing happen again. Given everything and where it was, you really got to tip your hat the way they pulled it off. The players deserve a lot of credit. They were able to buy-in. I was impressed by the initial plans and the execution was brilliant.” When asked how we would describe the Flames fan base, Leslie used one term: “patient.” He believes other hockey markets have been less patient, but the Flames “have stayed the course.” He also feels that Flames General Manager Brad Treliving understands the desire among Flames fans for a winner and wants to deliver.

During his time covering the Flames, there are two games that stand out. The first came on Dec. 22, 2014. Calgary had lost eight straight games and was heading toward a ninth straight defeat three days before Christmas. On this night in southern California, the Flames trailed the Kings 3-0 late in the second period. That is when Johnny Gaudreau took control and registered a natural hat trick to force overtime. Then in the extra period, Mark Giordano scored with 53 seconds left to give the Flames a 4-3 win. This would be the start of a key four-game winning streak and a major reason why the Flames made the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. “I will never forget that. It was near Christmas and that was one of the more enjoyable plane rides home,” said Leslie. Then on Halloween night 2019, the Flames were in a high scoring affair in Nashville. In a game that saw five third period goals, Matt Tkachuk scored the game-tying goal with 39 seconds left in regulation and then the overtime winner with two seconds left in the extra period in a 6-5 win over the Predators. However, it was Tkachuk’s overtime winner, which will go down in history as one of the most remarkable goals scored, given the circumstances. Late in the game, an Elias Lindholm shot was blocked by the Predators. The puck came back to Tkachuk, who put his stick in between his legs and shot the puck top shelf past Pekka Rinne. “That was just one where you had to look at everyone around you and go, ‘Did he just do that?’“ said Leslie. Leslie was also grateful for the Flames road trip to China in 2018, where the Flames played two exhibition games against the Boston Bruins. He got to meet many of the players at a higher level. Looking back at the Flames 2019-20 season, the expectations were uncertain heading into the restart. Initially many believed the Flames had a tough matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. However, due to numerous injuries on the Jets squad, Calgary won the Stanley Cup qualifier in four games. Then in the first round of the Western Conference playoff series against the Dallas Stars, many believed the Stars would be a good matchup for Calgary. It started out well with Calgary taking a twogames-to-one series lead, but then Dallas won the next three games to win the series four games to two. Heading into the stretch run of the 2020-21 season, Leslie believes the expectations for the Flames are higher than last season. “Now, you think that one and done is not good enough anymore,” he said. “I think Treliving feels the same and I think the pressure is on everybody to step up.” At this time, Leslie is thrilled to be on television. He still has the rush of hockey broadcasting and is living his childhood dream. He also states he has done studio work, but loves being at the rink and being around the players. He also knows the business of sports broadcasting is changing, but now is grateful for doing the job he thinks he was supposed to do all along.