The Calgary Flames have tapped veteran broadcaster Jon Abbott to fill the play-by-play role, succeeding Rick Ball.
The Calgary Flames have announced Jon Abbott as their new play-by-play announcer on Sportsnet. Abbott, who joins the Flames' broadcast team alongside Kelly Hrudey, Greg Millen, and host Ryan Leslie, replaces Rick Ball, who recently departed to join the Chicago Blackhawks.
Abbott brings over two decades of broadcasting experience to the job. His impressive resume includes coverage of NHL, CHL, AHL, and World Juniors games, along with notable roles in the World Men’s Hockey Championship and the Olympics.
Robert Hayes, President and CEO of Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) said of the addition:
-"We are thrilled to welcome Jon and his family to Calgary. Participating in the search for a play-by-play person with our partner Sportsnet, we were very impressed with Jon's broadcast, his resume, and his reputation within the industry."
Rob Corte, VP of Sportsnet and NHL Production said, “Jon Abbott is a fantastic addition to the Flames on Sportsnet broadcast booth, especially as we begin our new 11-year regional broadcast partnership with Calgary."
Abbott said he is looking forward to the role. He noted he couldn't be more excited to join the sea of red and noted, "I'm excited to share those moments in real time but also give some of the background to these Calgary Flames players, and tell some stories along the way."
As the Flames enter a period of rebuilding, Abbott will have the opportunity to cover the development of new talent and witness the team improving and coming together as they try to build towards being a winner. He added that he's excited to plant his roots in Alberta and he and his family have a lot in common with the franchise, both of them growing in their roles at the same time.
Flames' President of Hockey Operations, Don Maloney welcomed him and said they have a lot of young and exciting players coming into the organization and Abbott is on the same path.
With a new announcer, a new arena on the horizon, and fresh prospects joining the ranks, the future looks promising and will sound exciting as Abbott calls all the action.
They will kick off the 2024-2025 season against the Vancouver Canucks on October 9th.