Confirmed with Link: Brian Engblom hired as new Sun Sports Color Commentator

[Hockeyfan02]

Weekes is a Lightning alum, would have been cool to have him too. Wasn't Enblom one of the annoying commentators on NBCSN that never seemed to give the Bolts much respect?

Engblom was always pretty fair at giving both teams props during national games, I doubt he was someone that didn't give the Lightning much respect.

I don't think he'll be as much of a homer as Chief but he'll be an upgrade in terms of analysis.

 

[Hoek]

Engblom was never as biased against like Micheletti. Always struck me as fair and complimentary of the Bolts overall.

 

[The Macho King]

Yeah I never had an issue with Engblom. Pretty okay with the hire.

 

[berlin]

Well, he's no Gary Thorne, but this is a great hire, I've never found him annoying.

 

[snowden]

Wow what a great hire. Doubt we'll see much homerism, though. Sucks Dinger isn't coming back. He was a good studio guy. Andreychuck is awful. I hate that he's getting more involved on the TV side.

 

[berlin]

Wow what a great hire. Doubt we'll see much homerism, though. Sucks Dinger isn't coming back. He was a good studio guy. Andreychuck is awful. I hate that he's getting more involved on the TV side.

I disagree, Dave was just as good as Dingman, though that's not saying much.

 

[Bolto]

Reading the article and Engblom's comment about missing being connected to a team indicates to me that he'll have at least some homerism from the guy. I think it's a good hire.

 

[Look Up]

Reading the article and Engblom's comment about missing being connected to a team indicates to me that he'll have at least some homerism from the guy. I think it's a good hire.

Good hire but great hair.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

From the TBT article, it sounds like he really wants to be here and that he and RP already have a good relationship, so he looks like a good fit.

 

[ArmchairGoalie]

From the TBT article, it sounds like he really wants to be here and that he and RP already have a good relationship, so he looks like a good fit.

Who wouldn't. This is an exciting young team that he can be a part of during their prime.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Who wouldn't. This is an exciting young team that he can be a part of during their prime.

Mike Milbury. There have always been a few in the northern media who like to look down on us.

Of course what's not to like about the job and all that comes with it, but it's looks like he's happy that it's specifically here. He's saying all the right things.

http://lightning.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=776709

“First of all, I’m thrilled to be going to the organization. It’s one of the top organizations in the league ever since Mr. Vinik took over as owner of the team and Steve Yzerman became the GM. The results speak for themselves. They’ve been simply an outstanding team. You don’t get to the Stanley Cup Final by chance. The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy in sports to win, and the Lightning were two wins away. The respect that the Lightning have around the NHL is outstanding. For me to get back and be connected to a team again was really important to me. I’ve missed that. Most of my 20-plus years in television have been at the national level, so you don’t get that daily interaction with one team. I’m still a player at heart. I’ve been on teams since I was four years old, so to get back into that team environment is something that I’m really looking forward to. “

The Lightning are one of the premier teams in the league having advanced to the Stanley Cup Final last season while virtually the entire team returns for the upcoming season. Did that bright future play a role in your decision to join Sun Sports and the Lightning?

“It’s a great added plus for sure. The team is spectacular as it is right now. They have some terrific young talent. The young talent is the core and carried the team to the Cup Final. It speaks to the level of talent and the management that put the team together. I’m jumping into a team that’s one of the tops in the league. To be able to watch a team that should be good now and in the future should make for a lot of fun.”

“I had the pleasure of working with Rick Peckham a couple of times. As a matter of fact, the first game that I did between the glass was a game in Tampa where Rick was the play-by-play announcer. Rick is very easy to work with and a terrific professional with a lot of experience. There were no issues at all with us working together. The partnership was seamless. He’s very good with what he does. It’s my job to fit in with him. I know that going in, so that’s a good feeling for me and hopefully for him too. Speaking of that first game, it’s kind of funny, there’s a certain amount of karma I guess you can call it with Tampa. I started in broadcasting doing radio for the Los Angeles Kings, and while I was there, I get a call asking if I want to audition to do games for ESPN2. 1993 was the first year for ESPN2. The very first game I ever did for them was when Wayne Gretzky faced his brother Brent in Tampa. So I guess you could say things have come full circle for me in Tampa.”

“I don’t have a lot of experience in Tampa. I haven’t spent any vacation time there. All I know is what I see on the professional side. It’s obviously a terrific city. I have a decent feel for downtown and going to and from the airport. I’ve always enjoyed my trips to Tampa. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy going to Tampa in the middle of the winter. It’s always been one of the best road trips in the NHL. Now, I’ll get to enjoy it full time, so I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

 

[Maelmoor]

Thought Dingman was monotone and didnt bring as much insight as i would have liked from a former player. I like the hire a lot...will miss the homerism a bit as Chief brought that in spades.

Thought I was the only one to not being to keen on Dinger, he is a good guy but wasn't keen on him in the studio and I think he would been even worse as a the colour commentator.

 

[berlin]

Thought I was the only one to not being to keen on Dinger, he is a good guy but wasn't keen on him in the studio and I think he would been even worse as a the colour commentator.

I agree completely, so that makes 3 of us.

 

[Hoek]

I don't think he would have been a great color guy necessarily but he's better than Andy in the studio. I loved how he would give PK crap. Guess PK didn't like it though.

 

[ThunderAlleyNomad]

I disagree, Dave was just as good as Dingman, though that's not saying much.

Really? I always thought Dave looked like he would rather be pelted with Chara slappers with no helmet, than face a tv camera. He seems extremely uncomfortable, although he has gotten better.

 

[Werewolf]

Dave and Dingman are ok for what TBL was and how FOX viewed us...which is probably on a tight budget with ok ratings and a back seat to both Bucs and Rays and little National attention. That has obviously changed and the budget is probably a bit bigger with good sponsorship money and national advertising. Moving forward I fully expect to have Dave replaced he can be awkward as hell sometimes. Would like to see Dave more under Jay Feaster on the Hockey Community development and relations side than on the TV broadcast.

Now if I could get radio to sync with TV broadcast I'd listen to Dave Mishkin not the FOX broadcast...I really get pumped up the more he gets rilled up - Love It!

 

[HoseEmDown]

Dave and Dingman are ok for what TBL was and how FOX viewed us...which is probably on a tight budget with ok ratings and a back seat to both Bucs and Rays and little National attention. That has obviously changed and the budget is probably a bit bigger with good sponsorship money and national advertising. Moving forward I fully expect to have Dave replaced he can be awkward as hell sometimes. Would like to see Dave more under Jay Feaster on the Hockey Community development and relations side than on the TV broadcast.

Now if I could get radio to sync with TV broadcast I'd listen to Dave Mishkin not the FOX broadcast...I really get pumped up the more he gets rilled up - Love It!

I was in Orlando area and not Tampa but it seemed like the Lightning were always high on their list. The Bucs were on the local fox not the cable one and they showed more Lightning games then the Magic, if they played the same night I got the Lightning game. Not sure about the Rays since I don't watch baseball much but they play twice as many games so the advertising revenue for them is going to be higher.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

only guy i like on nbc much less dont dislike lol so is a great hire to me

 

[These Are The Days]

I personally love this hire. Brian is an absolute professional at what he does and is a class act. He's not gonna be the most exciting guy in the world because he's very matter of fact and analytical rather than an excitable character like a Pang or Taylor, but that's what he's paid to do. You won't hear him yell "HOLY JUMPIN!" when Johnson makes a sweet pass to Kucherov behind his back, but he'll dissect that play better than anyone. You have a true student of the game and sort of a "big fish" in the media pond coming to Tampa. It's kind of like bumping our "street cred" with the rest of the league.

Something tells me this won't last long though. I think in about 3 years Brain goes back to the mainstream. But I'll enjoy this while it lasts.

Love the hire

 

[Coopers Gum]

Just looking at the videos posted on the previous page tells me all I need to know about what we're going to get. Hopefully by the end of the season, we'll get some homer in him, but from what I can tell, the analysis will be top notch. Something, admittedly, that was lacking from Chief. But, Chief was great

Also, no more drinking game

 

[CupsOverCash]

Just looking at the videos posted on the previous page tells me all I need to know about what we're going to get. Hopefully by the end of the season, we'll get some homer in him, but from what I can tell, the analysis will be top notch. Something, admittedly, that was lacking from Chief. But, Chief was great

Also, no more drinking game

Yea I will miss Chief. Especially when the ref calls a penalty against us.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Yea I will miss Chief. Especially when the ref calls a penalty against us.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

 

[Todd1a]

brian was a great choice I never thought we would land someone like him. But I think he sees what is going on in tampa bay and i'm sure does not mind living in tampa.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Brian Engblom on 620 WDAE

http://www.620wdae.com/media/play/brian-engblom-26268342/

 

[Steazy Doo]

This is way better then Dinger, no question.