The Tampa Bay Lightning have hired former CFL on TSN host Dave Randorf as the voice of the team.
The Ryerson University graduate worked for 19 years at TSN prior to the summer of 2014, spending 14 years as part of their CFL coverage. He served as a play-by-play man in 1999 and 2000 before graduating to be the host of the CFL panel from 2001 to 2013.
Randorf left TSN in 2014 for Sportsnet in order to continue calling NHL games and served in that capacity for the last six years.
“To all my Canadian followers, thank you for all your support over the years. From the CFL on TSN to HNIC on Sportsnet it’s been a blast. When this is all over, come on down to Tampa. Great place to see a game!” Randorf tweeted.
“Dave has proven over the years of his broadcasting career to improve the viewing experience of hockey games on television to millions of fans,” Lightning CEO Steve Griggs said in a statement.
“We are thrilled to have Dave join our FOX Sports Sun broadcast team and continue Rick Peckham’s legacy of exciting our fans with legendry calls of Lightning hockey.”
Randorf brings more than 30 years of broadcasting experience to the Lightning and will be joining the FOX Sports Sun broadcasting crew with NHL broadcasting veterans Brian Engblom, Paul Kennedy, Dave Andreychuk, Bobby Taylor and Adam Hall.
So, where does the CFL on TSN go following the departure of Chris Cuthbert?
“We’re thrilled to welcome the Stanley Cup Champions back to FOX Sports Sun, and truly believe Dave Randorf will make for an exciting addition to this season’s telecasts,” FOX Sports Sun-FOX Sports Florida senior vice president and general manager Steve Tello said in a statement.
Randorf was also known as the play-by-play voice of the Montreal Canadians at TSN from 2010 to 2014, a key piece of their IIHF World Championship coverage and in-studio host for seven Olympic games after calling hockey games for Team Canada in 1998 in Nagano.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining this first-class organization,” Randorf said. “Following in the footsteps of Hall of Fame announcer Rick Peckham is an honor and a responsibility I do not take lightly. I can’t wait for the puck to drop and to begin getting to know Lightning fans throughout the community of Tampa Bay. ”
Many had speculated that the Delta-born broadcaster might be a fit to return to CFL coverage following the departure of long-time play-by-play man Chris Cuthbert for Sportsnet. Instead, the Canadian is headed south to soak up the Florida sun.
