The NHL 2025 HOF Award is going to Daryl Reaugh; named for Foster Hewitt; The first Voice of Hockey

The NHL keeps advancing each year in its yearly winner of its Hewitt Award. It now has 32 franchises. For years and years, it had only six teams, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, New York and Toronto. In 1967, the NHL erupted from six to twelve. Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Oakland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Doubling its roster, meant tremendous voices like Dan Kelly, Tim Ryan and Jiggs McDonald.

Dallas Stars color commentator Daryl “Razor” Reaugh was named the 2025 recipient of the Foster Hewitt Award, the Hockey Hall of Fame’s top honor for broadcasters.

“Daryl Reaugh has been a cornerstone of consistency and eloquence for Stars fans over decades,” said NHL Broadcasters’ Association president and 2004 honoree Chuck Kaiton. “His unique approach to painting a vivid picture as he analyses the play brings life and enjoyment for all to hear. His use of language is nothing short of sheer wizardry. He has earned his place among the best NHL broadcasters.”

Reaugh (pronounced Ray), 60, grew up in Prince George, in northern British Columbia. Growing up, he was a high-level goaltender, being selected as a second-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 1984. He spent the bulk of his professional career in the minors, playing seven games with the Oilers and 20 in 1990-91 with the Hartford Whalers before a string of bad injuries ended his career before the age of 30.

Reaugh tried his hand at media during his playing days and served as a color commentator with the ECHL’s Dayton Bombers and IHL’s Detroit Vipers before the Whalers hired him as their TV analyst in 1995, where he worked alongside a young John Forslund. His humor and personality—along with the proximity of Hartford to Bristol—gave Reaugh his first national work with ESPN during the 1996 playoffs.

With the Whalers’ future uncertain, Reaugh left after one year for the same job with the Dallas Stars. For 19 years, he and Ralph Strangis formed one of the most popular duos in the league, with Reaugh’s unique analogies and extensive use of the English language gaining him rave reviews. During that time, he received further national opportunities with Fox, Versus, and his boyhood goal of Hockey Night in Canada.

After Strangis left the Stars’ booth in 2015, Reaugh was partnered with 2017 Foster Hewitt winner Dave Strader. During Strader’s illness and following his premature passing, Reaugh sat in the play-by-play chair for a couple seasons. In 2018, he returned to do the color commentator’s job on Dallas radio and TV.  He had just completed his seventh season working with Josh Bogorad.

Active announcers to have won the Foster Hewitt Award include Columbus Blue Jackets backup analyst John Davidson (2009), Toronto Maple Leafs radio announcer Joe Bowen (2018), San Jose Sharks radio play-by-play man Dan  (2023), and Montreal Canadiens French-language TV voice (2024). Two more recipients, Nick Nickson (2015) and Sam Rosen (2016), retired following the 2024-25 season.

List of winners through the years:

1984	Foster Hewitt	Toronto
1984	Fred Cusick	Boston
1984	Danny Gallivan	Montreal
1984	Rene Lecavalier	Montreal
1985	Budd Lynch	Detroit
1985	Doug Smith	Montreal
1986	Wes McKnight	Toronto
1986	Lloyd Pettit	Chicago
1987	Bob Wilson	Boston
1988	Dick Irvin	Montreal
1989	Dan Kelly	St. Louis
1990	Jiggs McDonald	Los Angeles, Atlanta, NY Islanders
1991	Bruce Martyn	Detroit
1992	Jim Robson	Vancouver
1993	Al Shaver	Minnesota
1994	Ted Darling	Buffalo
1995	Brian McFarlane	Hockey Night in Canada
1996	Bob Cole	Toronto
1997	Gene Hart	Philadelphia
1998	Howie Meeker	Hockey Night in Canada
1999	Richard Garneau	Quebec
2000	Bob Miller	Los Angeles
2001	Mike Lange	Pittsburgh
2002	Gilles Tremblay	Montreal
2003	Rod Phillips	Edmonton
2004	Chuck Kaiton	Hartford/Carolina
2005	Sal Messina	New York
2006	Peter Maher	Calgary
2007	Bill Hewitt	Toronto
2008	Mike Emrick	Versus/NBC
2009	John Davidson	St. Louis
2010	Ron Weber	Washington
2011	Mickey Redmond	Detroit
2012	Rick Jeanneret	Buffalo
2013	Harry Neale	Hockey Night in Canada
2014	Pat Foley	Chicago
2015	Nick Nickson	Los Angeles
2016	Sam Rosen	New York
2017	Dave Strader	Detroit/ESPN/ABC/NBC/Florida/Arizona/Dallas
2018	Joe Bowen	Toronto
2019	Jim Hughson	Vancouver/TSN/Sportsnet/Hockey Night
2020	Rick Peckham	Hartford/ESPN/Tampa Bay/NBC +
2022	Bill Clement	ESPN/NBC/ABC/TNT/CTV/CBC/Sportsnet +
2023	Dan Rusanowsky	San Jose Sharks
2024	Pierre Houde	RDS
2025	Daryl Reaugh	Dallas Stars