5 candidates to replace Ryan Leslie as the next host of Flames broadcasts

Calgary Flames broadcasts on Sportsnet are going to look different once again.

Last summer it was Rick Ball who left to become the TV play-by-play voice of the Chicago Blackhawks.

This summer, it’s Ryan Leslie who is leaving Calgary to become the host for Toronto Maple Leafs content on their website and social media.

Leslie deserves an opportunity like the one he is getting with the Maple Leafs. He is one of the best hosts in hockey and showed that last season with his incredible work covering two tragic stories: the passing of Johnny Gaudreau and Greg Millen.

Calgary Flames fans have been spoiled when it comes to their hosts on the TV and radio broadcasts.

On the TV side the Flames have had the likes of Ron McLean, Grant Pollock, Jamie Thomas, Roger Millions and Ryan Leslie. A murders row of hockey hosts.

Rob Kerr and Pat Steinberg have done an excellent job hosting Flames hockey over the years on the radio.

Who is next in line to carry on the tradition of great Flames hosts? There are a lot of talented, local candidates to fill the shoes left behind by Leslie. Let’s take a look at five of them.

Brendan Parker

If there were betting odds for who is going to be the next host of Flames hockey, Brendan Parker would be the favourite to land the job. Parker has been working in Calgary sports media scene for nearly 15 years dating back to his time at Global TV. He was hired as the host of Flames TV in 2018 and has held that job ever since.

Parker is a seasoned professional and experienced interviewer who has great relationships with the Flames organization and their players. He is a perfect fit to become the next host of Flames hockey.

Cami Kepke

Calgary sports fans are very familiar with the work of Cami Kepke. She first appeared in our city in 2019 when she was hired by Global TV as a sports journalist. She has covered nearly every sport in the city including the NHL, WHL, CPL, CEBL, and USports. She is currently working for the WHL, CEBL as a sideline reporter, and is one of the hosts of the After Burner post game show here at FlamesNation.

Kepke has the experience, knowledge and infectious personality to be a great host for Calgary Flames hockey on TV.

Natasha Staniszewski

Staniszewski has an extremely impressive resume. She is currently the host of Calgary Stampeders football and contributes with the Flames on their website and social media. She is best known for being an anchor on TSN’s SportsCentre, a job that she held for nearly 10 years. Staniszewski along with Kate Beirness were pioneers at TSN becoming the first regular female duo to anchor the show.

Similar to Parker, Staniszewski has a good relationship with the Flames and knows all the players. Two factors that will make a a serious contender to become the next host of Flames hockey.

Kyle Bukauskas

The top rinkside reporter on Hockey Night in Canada and co-host of the popular 32 Thoughts podcast moved to Calgary this summer which has sparked some speculation on social media that he could be a candidate to become the next host of Flames hockey.

Bukauskas clearly has the experience to become the next host of Flames hockey. But would he want to take that job? He is already the top rinkside report on Sportsnet and covers all the major events for the network. Taking the Flames job would be a demotion for Bukauskas. I’d be surprised he took the job, but who knows? Crazier things have happened.

Pat Steinberg

Steinberg is one of, if not the most respected journalist in the Calgary sports media scene. He has been the host of Flames hockey and numerous sports talk shows on Sportsnet 960 The Fan for nearly two decades. There is no one in the city who is more plugged in when it comes to the Flames.

Steinberg, currently the host of Flames Talk, likely wouldn’t be able to host a radio show and be the TV host of Flames hockey. That would be just too much on his plate. So it would have to be one or the other. If Sportsnet were to hire him as the TV host, then they would have to find a new host of Flames Talk which might not be ideal for them. But Steinberg deserves a promotion. He is the hardest working person in Calgary media.

My two cents

Everyone I listed in this article is more than qualified to take over for Ryan Leslie. They all have a ton of experience in a hosting or anchoring role in sports media. But my guess is that this is Brendan Parker’s job to lose. It just feels like a natural progression to go from hosting Flames TV to hosting the games on Sportsnet. A big part of the job is building relationships and trust with the players and he has already done that.

I would also like to see Cami Kepke get serious consideration. She is incredibly talented and an extremely hard worker. She has earned the opportunity to be a favourite to land this job.

Your two cents

(I wanted to link your tweets but I wasn’t able to due to a technical error. Screenshots will have to do)