All good things come to an end eventually, including the career of a Hall of Famer.
The Kings announced today that the 2024-25 regular season will be the last with the club for play-by-play broadcaster Nick Nickson, who will retire at the end of the season.
What a legend, man.
I’ll never forget my introduction to Nick, which told me everything about the person he is. It was early in my time with the Ontario Reign and I was filling in on an East Coast road trip for Jon Rosen, who was out of office as his son was born. We went out to dinner in Columbus, had the chicken parm at Martini’s, great night……if you know, you know at Martini’s. It wasn’t the most expensive meal of my life, but for a guy coming in from the AHL, it wasn’t exactly a cheap meal either. We split the check and as the waiter came around the table, Nick simply picked up my meal and his. Didn’t make it a big deal about it. Just did a nice thing for a young employee. And that always stuck with me. Nick never made me feel anything but accepted around him and the broadcast crew, from my fill-in opportunities through today, as we enter our fourth season traveling together on a full-time basis in our respective roles with the Kings. Countless radio interviews together in 2021-22 and 2022-23, when Nick did radio on a full-time basis and a special opportunity for me, to do color commentary alongside him back once along the way, when COVID absences lent an opportunity. I always felt comfortable and Nick was a big part of the reason why. I’ve appreciated our time together as coworkers and friends. Looking forward to sharing a bit more from Nick as he navigates through his final season.
Nick is good at play-by-play. Obviously. The Hall of Fame doesn’t come calling if you aren’t very, very good. But that’s not why I’m excited to see him honored. It’s the person he is. The person he’s been to me, to so many others along the way. A great man, a talented professional for so many years and a walking encyclopedia of stories and information about the franchise he’s worked with now for 44 seasons. I know Nick will be honored and celebrated throughout the course of the season, as he deserves, for everything he’s given over the years.
Nick Nickson on Retirement
There comes a moment when you get a sense that it is the right time to move on, and I feel that after this season it will be that time. Shortly after graduating from college in 1975, I began my hockey broadcasting career, and it has been an absolute privilege to bring the game to the listeners and viewers from one season to the next. Through it all, I have enjoyed calling every shot, every save, every goal, and two Stanley Cups. To my family and the Kings organization, thank you for your unwavering support and loyalty. To the great fans of Kings Hockey, thank you for your encouragement and kind words over the years. It has always meant the world to me.
Luc Robitaille on Nick Nickson
Nick has been a trusted and valuable voice for our fans during his incredible career and is synonymous with the LA Kings. He has been there for every historic moment to eloquently bring to life the action on the ice. Most importantly, he is a terrific person who has been equally important as an ambassador for our team and in our community. We look forward to celebrating his final season.
From the team’s release –
With nearly 50 years of hockey broadcasting experience, Nickson enters his 44th season as the “Voice of the Kings” across radio and television, he has called over 4,200 professional games, which includes more than 3,800 games with the Kings and close to 500 in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 2006, the Kings held “Nick Nickson Day” in honor of his 25 years of service to the organization as a broadcaster. During his career, Nickson has received several accolades which were highlighted in 2015 by the prestigious Foster Hewitt Award as selected by the NHL Professional Broadcasters Association, and awarded by the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. As another tribute to his broadcasting excellence, in 2009 he was inducted into the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and in 2011 he was inducted into the Frontier Field Walk of Fame (media) in his hometown (Rochester, New York) where his career began during the 1975-76 season as the voice of the Rochester Americans in the AHL. He later spent four seasons (1977-81) with the New Haven Nighthawks (AHL) before his association with the Kings began.
The full 2024-25 broadcast schedule is available HERE, also shown below. The team’s national broadcast dates are available HERE, announced earlier this summer.
The broadcast schedule, which features Nickson at the helm of the telecast, includes two preseason games and 64 regular season games on Bally Sports West and seven games on KCAL-TV (Channel 9). An additional 13 games will be nationally televised across multiple broadcast and streaming outlets as previously announced by the NHL. A complete broadcast schedule is available here.
Nickson will work his 44th season in the Kings broadcast booth, which is named in his honor at Crypto.com Arena. Joining him on regular season telecasts is award-winning lead analyst Jim Fox, ice-side analyst Daryl Evans and rinkside reporter Carrlyn Bathe, beginning with the season opener on October 10 in Buffalo against the Sabres.
As part of game coverage, the Emmy Award Winning “LA Kings Live” returns prior to and immediately following home telecasts on Bally Sports West. Patrick O’Neal returns as host to cover the team for his 20th season, alongside analyst and former King Jarret Stoll.
Nickson will not call games on select occasions and contributors to the broadcast in various capacities will include Josh Schaefer, Blake Bolden, Derek Armstrong, and other guest play-by-play talent.
The 2024-25 campaign marks the 39th consecutive year the Kings are on Bally Sports West. In addition, Bally Sports West will produce the seven games that will be broadcast once again over-the-air locally on CBS-owned KCAL-TV. The Bally Sports app will also make all games – plus pre and postgame shows – produced by the network available for live streaming on Bally Sports+. Visit BallySportsPlus.com for more information.
Would also like to take the time here to introduce, more formally, Josh Schaefer to the Kings content team. Josh is not a new face, or voice. You’ve heard him call games with the Ontario Reign and the Kings from time to time. Josh will contribute in a variety of ways on the Kings radio and television broadcasts, including play-by-play and intermissions. Josh will also have the occasional article here on LAKI as well as some video and podcasting work. Excited to have Josh on board on a full-time basis!
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