Awful Announcing
The Bleacher Report Open Ice social media account is all about celebrating the NHL and hockey culture. Sometimes, however, lost in all that excitement is the need to ensure you hit the specifics.
The X account shared a video clip of a wild scene during Friday night’s Seattle Kraken-Utah Hockey Club game. Each team furiously traded shots in the final minutes of the third period. The frenzy of activity was all the more exciting thanks to the announcer on the call, known simply to B/R Open Ice as “the announcer.”
YOU HEARD THE ANNOUNCER… CHAOTIC! pic.twitter.com/7vBeQb0AW1
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 15, 2025
The lack of specificity regarding who was calling the chaotic scene caught the attention of many hockey fans who wanted Kraken announcer John Forslund to get his due.
Put some respect on @JohnForslund‘s name bruh…..
— ARutherford0220_ (@ARutherford0220) March 15, 2025
YOU HEARD THE ANNOUNCER… CHAOTIC! pic.twitter.com/7vBeQb0AW1
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 15, 2025
Eventually, Forslund, who has been the voice of the Kraken since 2001 and was the voice of the Carolina Hurricanes for so long that he called games when they were the Hartford Whalers, offered up a cheeky response of his own.
The announcer https://t.co/U3F3YzGGpi
— John Forslund (@JohnForslund) March 15, 2025
The Kraken went on to win the game 4-2, providing Forslund with a positive ending to the chaotic evening.
As for B/R Open Ice, now they know…
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote ‘How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.’ He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.
“Alright, if somebody hits a game-winning shot in a Finals game, maybe that will do it…”
“I think after a while, television wears everyone down. I think it will get to him as well.”
“…it was like riding a bicycle, except it was like riding the greatest bicycle ever built in sports media in a heartbeat.”
“I don’t know if at the time he… thought ultimately we’d cave and he was too integral to the success of the show, but we didn’t believe that was the case.”
“I love Ohio State. I was a captain there… But when I call their games, they’re a team, and the other team’s a team.”
Relevent already controlled these rights in North America, but is taking that control global.
“Alright, if somebody hits a game-winning shot in a Finals game, maybe that will do it…”
“I think after a while, television wears everyone down. I think it will get to him as well.”
“…it was like riding a bicycle, except it was like riding the greatest bicycle ever built in sports media in a heartbeat.”
“I don’t know if at the time he… thought ultimately we’d cave and he was too integral to the success of the show, but we didn’t believe that was the case.”
“I love Ohio State. I was a captain there… But when I call their games, they’re a team, and the other team’s a team.”
Relevent already controlled these rights in North America, but is taking that control global.
