Hockey announcer John Forslund ‘Just living the dream’

As a little boy growing up in Springfield, Massachusetts, John Forslund had a dream of becoming an NHL broadcaster. Like many kids with hockey dreams, Forslund cheered on his hometown team, the Boston Bruins, and idolized the legendary Bobby Orr. He is currently an announcer for the Carolina Hurricanes and Versus, and started with the Hartford Whalers in ’95. I got a chance to talk to Forslund about the long journey, his catchphrase, and how his idol played a part in making him a broadcaster.

The journey begins at home in Springfield as a 10-year-old boy, who began his career by commenting to his father and friends. After graduating from Springfield College, he worked for the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League from ’84 to ’91. While gaining great experience for little money, Forslund filled various roles, including broadcaster and publicist. After 7 years, he wondered if he would ever achieve his dream.

Forslund got a break in ’91, of all people, Bobby Orr. The Indians were affiliated with the Hartford Whalers, for which Orr was on the Advisory Council. “Bobby was familiar with my job and talked to general manager Eddie Johnston and coach Jim Roberts,” Forslund said. That meeting helped Forslund land a public relations job with the Whalers at age 29. In 1994-95, Peter Karmonos acquired the Whalers and Forslund got his first chance to announce as part of a televised 8-game local hockey package. That audition was cut short at 1 game due to the NHL lockout that year, but led to his first full ad season in ’95.

Forslund spoke of the last game that was televised in Hartford before moving to Carolina. “It was a very emotional game and everyone was in tears, from the cameraman to the producer. The final game, which had no playoff implications, was played against the Tampa Bay Lightning.” Forslund began the broadcast by saying, “For a game that makes no sense, this means everything!”

Since then, he has been announced for both the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL on Versus. When asked about a humorous moment in his broadcasting career, he recalls being on a 16-day road trip where the Hurricanes were playing very well and winning several games through late comebacks. “In one game, my voice cracked a couple of times and ESPN caught on and referred to me as Peter Brady from the Brady Bunch.”

For viewers of Canes or Versus, you may have heard Forslund’s catchphrase “Hey, hey, what you say?”. When asked how that came about, she explained that it was something his father used to say about him and one day he decided to incorporate it into his games. Sadly, Forslund’s father passed away before John received his first NHL paycheck, but John pays tribute to his father every time he says the phrase.

Like many journeys, the journey can be long and sometimes challenging. That appreciation allows Forslund to hit the track with the same enthusiasm as when he started. He is just living the dream.