John Forslund is an American sports announcer who will be the television play-by-play announcer of the Seattle Kraken. He had previously filled the same role for the Carolina Hurricanes and was with the team since 1991 (when the team was the Hartford Whalers) and called games from 1995 to 2020.
Growing up in Springfield, Massachusetts, Forslund played high school hockey at Cathedral High School before enrolling at Springfield College. During his time in college, he was a shortstop on the baseball team. Following this, Forslund earned his master's degree in Athletic Management from Adelphi University.[1]
Career[]
After graduating, Forslund handled the television and radio broadcasts for the American Hockey League's Springfield Indians from 1984 until 1991. In 1989 he won the Ken McKenzie Award, an award given to the AHL's top publicist and/or announcer. Following this, he joined the Hartford Whalers organization in 1991 as public relations director.[2] In 1995, he replaced Rick Peckham on the Whalers television broadcasts, then on SportsChannel New England. Forslund served as the radio analyst alongside Chuck Kaiton during non-televised games.[1] When Peter Karmanos Jr. moved the Whalers to Carolina in 1997, Forslund said the teams final game was very emotional. "It was a very emotional game and everyone was in tears from the camera man to the producer. The final game, which didn’t have any playoff implications, was played against the Tampa Bay Lightning....For a game that is meaningless, this means everything!"[3]
During his time with the Hurricanes, Forslund has served as a play-by-play announcer for the ESPN National Hockey Night, NHL on Versus, NBCSN, NBC Sports, and has called ACC and SEC basketball for Fox Sports Net. On June 27, 2002, Ken Lehner announced that Forslund signed a two-year contract extension with the Hurricanes to remain as their television play-by-play broadcaster.[4] As a result of his broadcasting achievements, Forslund was the recipient of the 2018 and 2019 North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.[5][6] Forslund's contract with the Hurricanes expired at the end of the 2020 regular season and was unresolved at the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs qualifying round.[7] As a result, Forslund called games for NBC Sports in the Toronto hub through the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. On January 26, 2021, Forslund announced he had accepted the job as television play-by-play broadcaster on Root Sports Northwest for the Seattle Kraken ahead of their inaugural NHL season in fall 2021.[8]
Personal life[]
Forslund and his wife Natalie have three children together, two daughters and one son.[5] His son Matthew plays ice hockey with Brad McCrimmon's son, who worked with Forslund as an Springfield Indians announcer.[9]
