- Hall of Fame goalie Grant Fuhr is joining the Kraken Hockey Network studio panel
- Fuhr’s first broadcasts are Nov. 23 and Nov. 25, and Tyler Johnson debuts Wednesday
- Read below for what Fuhr said about the Kraken prospects fans will see
Grant Fuhr is headed to the NHL broadcast booth.
The Hall of Fame goalie will join the Seattle Kraken Hockey Network studio panel for the first time on Nov. 23, with a second night Nov. 25, the Kraken announced. Fuhr, 64, will fill in as an analyst when regular panelist Brett Festerling is away.
Check out the Kraken’s announcement:
Former Lightning forward Tyler Johnson is the other new face. He makes his debut Wednesday night when Seattle hosts Calgary, then works again Nov. 7 against the Rangers.
Fuhr isn’t new to this. He has been part of Coachella Valley Firebirds radio and TV broadcasts since the Kraken’s AHL affiliate played its first season in 2022-23, so he already knows the prospects Seattle fans will keep seeing.
Fuhr talked about forward Jani Nyman, who was just called up.
“You guys will see Jani Nyman the next little while since he just got called up,” Fuhr said. “He’s got off to a pretty good start this year. He’s got nine goals in nine games.”
He also explained how Nyman’s game changed after a year in the AHL.
“His biggest issue was his 200 foot game, but when he came back (to the AHL) last year from Seattle, it was way better,” Fuhr said. “He had more of a complete game. He didn’t score quite as much, but the complete game was way better.”
Fuhr won five Stanley Cups with the Oilers and still holds the franchise record for wins by a goalie. After he retired, he coached goalies for the Flames and then the Coyotes, where he reunited with Wayne Gretzky.
Johnson is a Spokane native who won two Cups in Tampa Bay and retired after 747 games. He got interested in broadcasting at the NHL’s training camp in July.
Johnson explained why the Kraken job appealed to him.
“For me, it was important to go back to the Northwest where I grew up and kind of be a part of the organization,” Johnson said. “Obviously, I couldn’t play there so this is the only way I can be a part of it.”
Seattle has been busy off the ice too, after the Shane Wright trade for Matthew Wood over the weekend.
Fuhr’s first panel nights are Nov. 23 and Nov. 25.
