Confirmed with Link: John Forslund to Seattle

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Seattle fans have their eye on another local guy. Based on their comments, they don't appear to be fans of Tripp.

Tripp is an acquired taste. they would love him after a while.

 

[hblueridgegal]

I am sure he would do ok in a lot of locales but Seattle strikes me as having a more sophisticated fanbase/demo.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Canes are clearly intent on giving Abby Labar a bigger and bigger role. I think she does well in her role right now. I wonder what the future is for her.

 

[hblueridgegal]

Wow..just read that JF took the Seattle job sight unseen. He's never been to Seattle. Wow..that's an amazing lifestyle change to make without even visiting. 5 year contract and still gets to do national games.

Forslund took role as Kraken television broadcaster 'sight unseen'
Voice of 2021-22 NHL expansion team eager to build trust with new audience

"I took the job sight unseen, because I didn't need to see the place," Forslund said. "I care about the work environment and what kind of organization it is, and it's great. They're great from top to bottom, and they've treated me first class. So who wouldn't say yes to this?"

 

[A Star is Burns]

I honestly don't know what Tripp would do. He obviously deeply loves this franchise. I'm sure he wants to get back to his normal pay scale, and perhaps he's hoping he'll be rewarded in the long run for being a good soldier. Or, maybe he's bitter and would jump at any chance, especially if he gets to reunite with his buddy Forslund (if that were to be offered). But, even for a guy that might not be tied down, it's a big move from Raleigh (or even the Detroit area where he is in the offseason) to Seattle. It's certainly not for everyone.

Canes are clearly intent on giving Abby Labar a bigger and bigger role. I think she does well in her role right now. I wonder what the future is for her.

I like her. It'd be nice to find a way to keep her and keep expanding her role, but I could easily see us being the stepping stone job again (not that the other people that left us have been crazy successful, they just treated this job that way).

 

[A Star is Burns]

Wow..just read that JF took the Seattle job sight unseen. He's never been to Seattle. Wow..that's an amazing lifestyle change to make without even visiting.

Forslund took role as Kraken television broadcaster 'sight unseen'
Voice of 2021-22 NHL expansion team eager to build trust with new audience

Kudos to him for being able to make that leap. I'm not sure I could ever do that, as you still have to be comfortable with the place you're going home to no matter how good the job is. Seattle and the surrounding areas are very nice, so I'm sure he'll be fine. It will be an adjustment from the east coast and where he's lived, but it's nice.

 

[LostInaLostWorld]

It isn't just Tripp. It is the combo w JF. They play off each other so well. And as great as Forsland is, he is better with TT. Just listen to his calls now and you can tell when he would love to throw out some off the wall zinger but doesn't as there is no Tripp to play off it. Or does but it goes over Boucher or whoever's head.

It's the old sum greater than the parts.

I think TT would jump to Seattle in a heartbeat.

 

[Derailed75]

Better get Kraken on that roadie.

Mike & Shane? Brutally bad. That'd be the worst tandem in all of the NHL. Mike is a good guy and I wanted to see how he'd do calling a live game but...wow...calling his call mediocre is a bridge too far.

You have never heard the Caps guys I presume? They by far and away are the worst. I would take Shaya calling games all day over those guys

 

[A Star is Burns]

It isn't just Tripp. It is the combo w JF. They play off each other so well. And as great as Forsland is, he is better with TT. Just listen to his calls now and you can tell when he would love to throw out some off the wall zinger but doesn't as there is no Tripp to play off it. Or does but it goes over Boucher or whoever's head.

It's the old sum greater than the parts.

I think TT would jump to Seattle in a heartbeat.

I don't know. John does great with anyone and can adapt his style as needed. And the goofball stuff he can do with Tripp isn't for everyone. And again, I remember a very long period of time where Tripp was not liked as an analyst or for his goofball stuff. It took a long time for this fan base and John to lean into it and get Tripp. I agree that he's still an acquired taste on the whole, and we've had a long time with him. I have no idea if he's so happy working with John that he's willing to uproot his life. He might jump at that chance or he might not.

 

[A Star is Burns]

You have never heard the Caps guys I presume? They by far and away are the worst. I would take Shaya calling games all day over those guys

I live in the Caps territory and have a Caps fan wife. I don't find them to be the worst at all. There are broadcasts around the league I will avoid and they aren't it for me. Very much a couple of homers (even to a higher degree than you would expect from a local broadcast), but I don't find them to be bad at calling games personally. But we all have our preferences.

 

[LostInaLostWorld]

I don't know. John does great with anyone and can adapt his style as needed. And the goofball stuff he can do with Tripp isn't for everyone. And again, I remember a very long period of time where Tripp was not liked as an analyst or for his goofball stuff. It took a long time for this fan base and John to lean into it and get Tripp. I agree that he's still an acquired taste on the whole, and we've had a long time with him. I have no idea if he's so happy working with John that he's willing to uproot his life. He might jump at that chance or he might not.

Yes an aquired taste. But the 2 of them have sort of perfected the act. From the comments both have mentioned about each other it does seem that they are good friends. But perhaps John wants to start fresh. Who knows.

As far as uprooting his life, Tripp is single, still relatively young, seems to make friends easily and his 'roots' stem from Michigan where he spent most of the Covid off season I believe. As much as he likes it here doubt that would be an issue.

 

[StormCast]

You have never heard the Caps guys I presume? They by far and away are the worst. I would take Shaya calling games all day over those guys

Unfortunately you are wrong, I have heard way too many calls by Joe B and Laughlin. Joe is on my least favorite list but, he can follow the action in real-time and has in-game awareness. Mike lacks both so far. Again, good guy, it's early but seems like he's in over his head.

 

[Derailed75]

Unfortunately you are wrong, I have heard way too many calls by Joe B and Laughlin. Joe is on my least favorite list but, he can follow the action in real-time and has in-game awareness. Mike lacks both so far. Again, good guy, it's early but seems like he's in over his head.

I cant handle their voices or their banter. I would take Mike 10 times out of 10 over those guys

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Wow..just read that JF took the Seattle job sight unseen. He's never been to Seattle. Wow..that's an amazing lifestyle change to make without even visiting. 5 year contract and still gets to do national games.

Forslund took role as Kraken television broadcaster 'sight unseen'
Voice of 2021-22 NHL expansion team eager to build trust with new audience

My move to the triangle from the northeast was sight unseen. Took a job, and had 2 days to find a house in an area I’d never been to before.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I like her. It'd be nice to find a way to keep her and keep expanding her role, but I could easily see us being the stepping stone job again (not that the other people that left us have been crazy successful, they just treated this job that way).

true. One difference with her is that I think she’s a native North Carolinian. Still, makes sense that she’d want to use it as a stepping stone

 

[hblueridgegal]

The only time I did the sight unseen move was right after to college to DC. After that experiment, we made sure to at least visit an area before committing.

 

[NotOpie]

Despite the DUI, Chantel has made a pretty solid move up with the Golf Channel.

Chantel McCabe | Golf Channel

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I live in the Caps territory and have a Caps fan wife. I don't find them to be the worst at all. There are broadcasts around the league I will avoid and they aren't it for me. Very much a couple of homers (even to a higher degree than you would expect from a local broadcast), but I don't find them to be bad at calling games personally. But we all have our preferences.

Counterpoint: they are Bad! And if you like them, it is because you like Bad Things, and you also are Bad!

 

[StormCast]

I cant handle their voices or their banter. I would take Mike 10 times out of 10 over those guys

Oh, I hear you. Joe B. is fingernails on a chalkboard with his voice and annoying with his phrasing.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

I live in the Caps territory and have a Caps fan wife. I don't find them to be the worst at all. There are broadcasts around the league I will avoid and they aren't it for me. Very much a couple of homers (even to a higher degree than you would expect from a local broadcast), but I don't find them to be bad at calling games personally. But we all have our preferences.

Joe is fine. He's able to keep up with the play and his voice is fine.

Craig, though, I can't stand. He goes so overboard with the nicknames. Ovi, Nicky, Willy, and on and on and on. Half the time I watch a Caps feed I have no idea what player he's referring to because I don't know their entire rosters first and last names and all their possible nicknames.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Joe is fine. He's able to keep up with the play and his voice is fine.

Craig, though, I can't stand. He goes so overboard with the nicknames. Ovi, Nicky, Willy, and on and on and on. Half the time I watch a Caps feed I have no idea what player he's referring to because I don't know their entire rosters first and last names and all their possible nicknames.

Yes, the Craig stuff is the biggest part of the uber homer factor. Otherwise, he's their version of goofball Tripp. I've almost certainly watched more Caps broadcasts than most non-Caps fans, so I'm just kind of immune to that part like we are with some of Tripp's antics over the years. Again, everyone has their own preferences, but I think purely on announcing, Joe is good, and if you can get past the homer stuff, Laughlin is their version of Tripp that works well with Joe.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Wow..just read that JF took the Seattle job sight unseen. He's never been to Seattle. Wow..that's an amazing lifestyle change to make without even visiting. 5 year contract and still gets to do national games.

Forslund took role as Kraken television broadcaster 'sight unseen'
Voice of 2021-22 NHL expansion team eager to build trust with new audience

Just stay away from the autonomous zone and it's a great town.

 

[AD Skinner]

Just stay away from the autonomous zone and it's a great town.

The first time I heard about that on the news I thought they said "chapel hill autozone" and was like "oh my god thats so close to me and also a very strange place to be the epicenter of all this"

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

I gotta say. Listening to Mike call the games so far this season and yesterday he's a pretty decent pbp guy. Is he as good as John? No. No one in the business is as good as John and it sucks to lose him but I think once Mike gets a bit more comfortable in his rhythm and filling in the blanks a bit more he could be one of the better pbp guys in the league. I feel like he needs to amp up his goal calls a touch. Not in terms of volume but more in terms of intensity or something. Anyway, it's all nitpicking and I think he's done pretty well so far in the role.

 

[LostInaLostWorld]

Mike also has a fairly good handle on knowing opposing player's names. That takes work and dedication. A good number of the local pbp guys know the 1st liners and big names but struggle or don't even try with 3rd/4th line guys.