Ray_Ferraro

Ray Ferraro

Ray Ferraro

Canadian ice hockey player and broadcaster


Raymond Vincent Ferraro (born August 23, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current broadcaster for ESPN/ABC and select regional Vancouver Canucks games on Sportsnet. He played for 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Hartford Whalers (19841990), New York Islanders (1990–1995), New York Rangers (1995–1996), Los Angeles Kings (1996–1999), Atlanta Thrashers (19992002), and St. Louis Blues (2002).

Quick Facts Born, Height ...

Playing career

Ferraro was a prolific scorer in junior hockey, including a 108-goal and 192-point season for the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Brandon Wheat Kings in 1983–84. He also was a member of the 1982–83 Portland Winter Hawks squad that won the 1983 Memorial Cup. Ferraro's teammates on the championship-winning team included Cam Neely, Mike Vernon, Brian Curran, John Kordic, and other future NHLers.

In his NHL career, he scored 408 goals and 490 assists for a total of 898 points in 1,258 games spanning 18 seasons. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game in 1992, held in Philadelphia. He also had two 40-goal seasons.

Ferraro had a memorable Stanley Cup playoff run for the New York Islanders in 1993, scoring two overtime goals against the Washington Capitals as the Islanders defeated both the Capitals and the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Ferraro assisted on David Volek's game- and series-winning goal during overtime of Game 7 against the Penguins. The goal advanced the Islanders to the Wales Conference Finals, which they lost to the eventual champion Montreal Canadiens. Ferraro finished that playoff season with team-leading totals in goals (13) and points (20).

Broadcasting

Ferraro retired from the NHL on August 2, 2002. He has worked for ESPN hockey broadcasts, including on NHL 2Night with John Buccigross and Barry Melrose, where he began working while still an active player.[1][2] On that show, Ferraro was often referred to as "Chicken Parm" by Buccigross after an accident with Chicken Parmesan moments before going on the air. He later worked as a studio analyst for the NHL on NBC, as a colour commentator on Edmonton Oilers broadcasts on Rogers Sportsnet West, and on Sportsnet's other hockey programs.

Ferraro works as a colour commentator and studio analyst for TSN Hockey, including the 2010 Winter Olympics for CTV. After Pierre McGuire left TSN for NBC/Versus, he became the lead color commentator.[3][4] After Rogers Media, the parent of TSN's rival Sportsnet, gained the national NHL rights with effect in the 2014–15 NHL season, Ferraro became a color commentator for the network's regional NHL telecasts, primarily working Toronto Maple Leafs games.

On May 5, 2014, EA Sports announced that Ferraro would be an "Inside-the-Glass" reporter for NHL 15 along with play-by-play commentator Mike Emrick and color commentator Eddie Olczyk. The trio worked together for five years.[5] On November 23, 2015, Ferraro became the first hockey broadcaster to broadcast a game where his child also played in the same game, with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Boston Bruins at the Air Canada Centre.[6]

During the 2019 NHL Awards, Ferraro was promoted to lead color commentator in NHL 20.[7] Also in 2019, he and Darren Dreger started a podcast, The Ray and Dregs Hockey Podcast, hosted by TSN.[8]

On April 7, 2008, Ferraro returned to ESPN to call his first-ever Frozen Four as a replacement for Barry Melrose, who left ESPN to coach the Tampa Bay Lightning.[9][10] With Ferraro switching from NBC to ESPN, there have been repeated rumors that the lead team of Gary Thorne and Bill Clement might re-partner at ESPN as well.

With ESPN regaining the rights to air NHL games, Ferraro returned to ESPN/ABC for the 2021–22 season, this time as lead color commentator, sharing with Brian Boucher.[11][12][13][14] That season also saw him work him work his first ever Stanley Cup Finals series as a color commentator at his ice-level analyst position, and he teamed with Sean McDonough and Emily Kaplan for the entire series.[15] Ferraro left TSN after the season to focus on his work at ESPN/ABC[16][17][18] and after Boucher left the network for TNT, he became the lead color commentator on August 29, 2023.[19][20]

On September 19, 2023, Sportsnet announced that Ferraro will be a color commentator for the Vancouver Canucks regional broadcasts on Sportsnet for select games and that Dave Tomlinson will call most Canucks games.[21][22] He co-hosts a podcast with Darren Dreger called the Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast.

Personal life

As a youngster, Ferraro played in the 1976 Little League World Series.[23]

Ferraro currently lives in Vancouver, British Columbia[24] with his wife Cammi Granato (married in 2004).

Ray has four sons, Matt and Landon from a previous marriage, as well as Riley (born December, 2006) and Reese (born December, 2009) with Cammi.

His brothers-in-law are former NHLer Tony Granato and current NHL head coach Don Granato.

Transactions

Video games

Ferraro was the color analyst for EA Sports' hockey video games from 2014 to 2023. He was the ice level reporter starting in NHL 15, working with NBC Sports' Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk.[5] He partnered with new play-by-play man James Cybulski, starting with NHL 20.[25][26] Starting with NHL 24, Ferraro will be replaced with Cheryl Pounder.[27]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

More information Regular season, Playoffs ...

International

More information Year, Team ...

Awards

See also


References

  1. "Out of Bounds: An interview with John Buccigross". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  2. Robenhymer, Julie (April 30, 2016). "Ties After Three Periods Send the Fans to Twitter". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  3. Koo, Ben (June 28, 2011). "Industry Moves- Charissa Thompson To ESPN and Pierre McGuire Leaving TSN". Awful Announcing. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  4. "Pierre McGuire leaves TSN for Versus, NBC". National Post. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  5. "EA SPORTS NHL 15 Starts a New Generation of Hockey Videogames This Fall". EA Sports. May 5, 2014. Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  6. Feschuck, David (November 24, 2015). "The father, the son and a night to boast". Toronto Star. Toronto Star. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  7. "The Ray and Dregs Hockey Podcast". TSN. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  8. "Eagles Carry Seven-Game Win Streak To Denver For 2008 NCAA Frozen Four". Boston College Athletics. April 7, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  9. "Tampa Bay Lightning hires Barry Melrose as its new head coach". The Hockey News. The Canadian Press. June 24, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  10. Marchand, Andrew (May 10, 2021). "ESPN adding Ray Ferraro, Brian Boucher as NHL analysts". New York Post. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  11. Coryell, Grace (June 29, 2021). "Dynamic, Diverse and Accomplished Team to Present ESPN's NHL Coverage to Fans". ESPN Press Room U.S. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  12. Best, Neil (June 3, 2022). "ESPN's ups and downs in Year 1 of hockey's return to the network". Newsday. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  13. "Ray Ferraro leaves TSN after 14 years". HockeyFeed. October 11, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  14. Bondurant, Jordan (October 18, 2022). "Ray Ferraro Steps Away From TSN Obligations Entirely". Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  15. Marchand, Andrew (August 29, 2023). "Brian Boucher joins TNT's NHL coverage". Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  16. "Notable Little League Graduates" (PDF). LittleLeague.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 21, 2016.
  17. Bertz, Matt. "Breaking Down The 16 Biggest Changes Coming To NHL 20". Game Informer. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  18. Arts, Electronic (July 26, 2019). "EA SPORTS - NHL 20 Gameplay - Broadcast and Presentation Overhaul". Electronic Arts Inc. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  19. TSN ca Staff (August 17, 2023). "Cheryl Pounder to replace Ray Ferraro as NHL 24 colour commentator". TSN. Retrieved September 30, 2023.

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