Leah Hextall (born c. 1981) is a Canadian sports journalist and ice hockey play-by-play broadcaster.In March 2020, she became the first woman to call play-by-play for a nationally televised NHL game as part of Sportsnet's first all-female broadcast team. "[14], Hextall's grandfather, Bryan Sr., played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League and was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969. Episode 236 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with Leah Hextall, a play by play broadcaster for ESPN's NHL coverage. When she broke into the TV business, she covered the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose in Winnipeg. In hockey, were so accustomed to not speaking, to not saying anything because you dont want to be an individual you dont want to rock the boat, she said. They really do their best to make sure that you see what they have to say about you, and how negative it is, said Hextall, who also spoke this week on the Sports Media Podcast with The Athletics Richard Deitsch. I would think more about passing it along when somebody references a threat or knowing where I live or something like that because at the end of the day, as my brother in-law whos a cop says, you dont know that they dont need this. Leah's annual income is around $60, 679. Leah Hextall doesn't even know the score, absolutely blows the game winning call. Johnson oversaw the day-to-day operations at the regional sports network. Hextall joins a growing list of women inside . Back on Super Bowl Sunday, it was revealed that Yankees legend and hall of famer Derek Jeter would be joining the MLB on FOX crew for the 2023 season. Hextall had previously made history as the first woman to call an NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship game, for ESPN at the 2019 tournament. It wasnt showing up to the rink and feeling like I was working in a candy store, like it usually would when I cover hockey. A native of Brandon, Manitoba, Hextall graduated from the Columbia Academy of Radio, Television and Recording Arts in Vancouver in 2003. Not long after Leah Hextall returned to her home in Winnipeg, after her first season as the first woman to regularly call play-by-play for nationally-televised NHL games, she had a phone call. [6] Her television debut calling play-by-play was a four-game set of Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) games in January 2018. It was just, to me, that I survived that, that I survived the mental attacks, I survived the outside attacks from social media, I survived the internal attacks from other people within the hockey world, I survived attacks from some of my colleagues not at ESPN but just different things I heard, she said. 7,343 Followers, 913 Following, 908 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from @leahhextall Randy Hextall, and mother Elizabeth Hextall. Leah Hextall is a Canadian Journalist who is known as a sports reporter. A new contender for worst broadcaster of all time (Leah Hextall) An experienced NESN and ESPN reporter, Leah now lives in Toronto, where she works successfully as a freelancer, hosting sporting events throughout Canada. She also is the first woman who cal play by play for the mens NCAA Division I Hockey Tournament for ESPN. [9] The under two-minute segments are united by the theme of ice hockey and, while the most frequent topic is the Winnipeg Jets, Hextall has used the segment to highlight issues within the hockey world, including sexism and other social injustices. RT @GoldenKnights: WELL WELL WELL We have acquired Jonathan Quick from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Michael Hutchinson and a 2025 seventh-round pick! Hextall celebrates her birthday on 11th June and is 40 years old now. In 2016, Leah left Hockey Night in Canada cutbacks. Be prepared to feel as gutted as I still do when you watch the video below. Furthermore, she has been with the ESPN network since joining in 2021 where she works as a commentator for select NHL games. Leah Hextall Wiki, Married, Age, Husband, Family, Net Worth - Ariespedia Leah Hextall is a Canadian sports journalist and hockey play-by-play broadcaster. Im not saving lives here. Weve never dropped the gloves. To me, you can either do the job or you can't and Hextall has proven again and again that she can't. Not all of it was from strangers, she said, but also in gendered whispers and actions within the hockey community. An unverified Twitter account bearing the name of former NHL referee Tim Peel was harshly critical of Hextall: Asking Wayne Simmonss [sic] if he is soft might be one of the most ridiculous questions I have ever heard. She smirked as she asked him about the exchange: He called you soft my question is: Are you?, You should ask him, Simmonds said. Anyone who has ever tried their hand at calling a game, whether in a professional setting or just at home for fun, can tell you that it's a job that's FAR more difficult than it looks or seems. In defence of 'defencewoman': Leah Hextall on changing - CJOB Hextall, being the pro broadcaster she is, explained what was happening to the audience in real time. Leah Hextall Expand search. Leah Hextall Joins ESPN For NHL Play-By-Play | Barrett Media The league is now in negotiations with distributors in Denver, Houston, and Pittsburgh the former AT&T SportsNet markets and believes it will not have a problem airing games on both linear television and on streaming when Opening Day rolls around. Your email address will not be published. Her Instagram account also doesnt suggest she is in any kind of relationship. [12] The hiring, later confirmed by The Athletic, makes her "the first woman to hold [a play-by-play] role as part of a national TV broadcast. But the ESPN play-by-play announcer, who is based in Winnipeg, has a pretty good background into one of the teams there. Its been 17 years that Leah has been in the sports broadcasting business and she has already bagged two records and history-making events in her name. The problem I had was that Hextall 1) Had little energy for the game. As for her net worth, Leah Hextalls net worth is estimated to be around $600,000. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I don't care what race , age , religion , heritage , sexuality , skin colour , able bodied or not able bodied the person is. Leah Hextall is one of the most popular and talented sports journalists born in 1981 and currently working at ESPN where he serves as a play-by-play commentator. Her second cousin Brett played for UND for 3 years. His granddaughter wears his induction ring for big events. Being a media person she knows how to keep her personal life away from the peeping eyes of the media. Leah Hextall - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | Professional Profile | LinkedIn First is a word often associated with Leah Hextall, who is blazing a trail for women in sports and beyond. Owning her own her uniqueness, asking for the opportunity, and overcoming obstacles are just some of the steps on her journey. Alex Curry - Fox Sports. She said it was sent late one night during the playoffs, after she had called a game. Leah was born in the year 1981 in Bradon, Manitoba of Canada to her father Randy Hextall, and mother Elizabeth Hextall. Her own response gave her pause: When I actually heard it out loud, I thought, Why did I say that?. Her uncles, Dennis and Bryan, both played in the league. I was unsure how our audience would react, but I trusted her words would resonate with them. ESPN Touts New Female NHL Commentator, But There's One Major Problem Discovery the parent company of AT&T SportsNet was not a shock to MLB, who has already begun discussing potential options with other distribution platforms in Denver, Houston, and Pittsburgh. Leah Hextall Worldwide: leah hextall reporting the "fire hextall" chants were out at the Penguins last game gotta be awkward for her . [2] Hextall had previously made history as the first woman to call an NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship game, for ESPN at the 2019 tournament.[3][4]. Kendall Burgess will be the Vice President of Local Media Technical operations. Countdown to Coverage: College Footballs Best TV Booth, Matthew Berry Says Being Featured on Football Night in America Sealed the Deal, Sam Pines Wants To Make Life Easier at the BSM Summit. Pat Maroon and Wayne Simmonds were in a smack talk-off, and Leah Hextall was right in the middle of it. Talking to Richard Deitsch on his podcast Sports Media with Richard Deitsch, Hextall said she was unwelcome in a lot of different settings in the league. In 2016, Hextall pursued a career in hockey play-by-play, making her debut calling the Canadian Womens Hockey League games in 2018. She also wore it earlier this summer, during a presentation delivered to hockey coaches on a stage at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. She had previously made history as the first woman to call a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Championship game for ESPN in 2019. Hextall said to Fitz-Gerald, I love my job, and I love what I was doing, but it was very difficult this year. Dallas Stars v Colorado Avalanche NHL: Regular season NHL - 04/03/2023 15:30 GMT-5 It's her delivery. You have to deal with it, she said. But the ESPN play-by-play announcer, who is based in Winnipeg, has a pretty good background into one of the teams there. Or, maybe she is? It wasnt fun. Shes not going to be fearful of making sure people know the types of things shes subjected to. Leah clearly screamed, "FUCK!" because she messed up the word "iron" but hearing it during a mad scramble doesn't sound out of place. Leah Hextall, Cassie Campbell-Pascall and Linda Cohn will make history as ESPN's first all-female NHL broadcast team for the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens game at Gila River Arena on . "It's been wonderful to re-connect with him after all this time," said Hextall, who interviewed Berry earlier this week. Leah "Are You Soft?" Hextall Instigates Wayne Simmonds vs. Patrick Maroon Fight!NHL on ESPN April 21 2022Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning 1st Perio. I know Wayne Simmonds isnt soft, said Hextall. At one point, Maroon, a 33-year-old forward on the Lightning, asked Simmonds how many Stanley Cup championships hes won. Oct 26, 2022. 2023 Attraction Web S.E.C. Leah Hextall on Twitter: "RT @GoldenKnights: WELL WELL WELL We have Or challenge the status quo. Hockey history last night, as Phil Kessel skated in his 990th consecutive game to become the NHL's Ironman! Leah always knew she couldnt be a Hockey player like her father or grandfather but one thing she knew, she loves Hockey and she wants to continue her family legacy in Hockey. Leah Hextall once trending for all the wrong reasons Leah Hextall called one of our games earlier in the season and referred to Nick Bjugstad as "Mr. Bjugstad of the Anaheim Wild". Her interviews were insightful and got great answers from the players. Listen. Erin Hawksworth - Sportsnet Canada. Leah Hextall will call games for ESPN's NHL coverage next season, becoming the first woman with a regular national NHL PBP role. ESPN announcer Leah Hextall caught between war of words on NHL benches And in Canada, Sportsnet showed a game between Vegas and Calgary that featured Leah Hextall on play-by-play joined by color commentator Cassie Campbell-Pascall and reporter Christine Simpson. Tim Peel rips Leah Hextall over Wayne Simmonds interview; gets blocked But the day came, and I watched as Leah confidently walked on stage. She's a bona fide hockey player. Hextall's mistake and asking Simmonds if he was soft caught the attention of former NHL referee Tim Peel, who ripped her for it. Leah Hextall, with longstanding family ties to UND hockey, to call Because of that, I kept a lot of this silent, she added. She also has an older sister. I'm not a fan of Leah Hextall calling games on TV. There just doesnt seem to be an end to it. Still, she hasnt revealed any information about her personal life or her earnings and net worth. Many Twitter users made their frustration known when Hextall called a game between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. Being a media personnel, she is very much active on all social media platforms. Leah Hextall taking threats, for next generation of women in broadcast May 12. In December, when I found out that I'd be calling an NHL game, there was no one I wanted to call more than my dad. Leah Hextall will call games for ESPN's NHL coverage next year Leah Hextall Introduction : Born into a professional hockey-playing family soon lead Leah Hextall to become a sports reporter. Because how can a woman be the most qualified candidate when she hasnt had the opportunities to gain the necessary experience to do so? [7] During that period, Hextall called games on the side, generally for free, including for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The abuse crashed into her social media accounts like a tidal wave. Read millions of eBooks and audiobooks on the web, iPad, iPhone and Android. And that's coming from someone who has been pretty critical of some of the most revered male broadcasters in the sport. Nothing to do with her gender. MORE: https://tsn.ca/detroit-red-wings-nearing-extension-with-captain-dylan-larkin-1.1925303 Leah Hextall, Biography, Career, Relationship, Height, Net Worth, Instagram ESPN airs network's first broadcast with all-female announcing team Her cousin, Ron Hextall, played goalie for 13 years for the Flyers, Nordiques and Islanders. Leah Hextall is a play-by-play commentator for NHL coverage on ESPN. Fire Leah Hextall (@FireLeahHextall) / Twitter NESN Hires Leah Hextall as On-Air Personality - NESN.com 2) Didn't know the players. Theres a culture that believes when a woman is hired in a high-profile, visible, important role in the game, that she has been hired because of her gender, or to check a box, she said. So it seems as of now Leah might be single and focusing on creating more history. And youre lacking the fact that youre not representing half the world. But as she navigated her first season, she says her social media accounts became overwhelmingly filled with criticism and abuse at a volume she had yet to see in her decade-plus career in sports media. Wayne Simmonds knows he isnt soft. [3][4] I kind of liked it. Months after her final assignment this year, she is not sure she can assess the full impact. A game in late April became a flashpoint. 11. Leah Hextall Family, Net Worth , Parents, Husband, Children, Salary "Leah Hextall was a reporter for ESPN's coverage of the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. The comments, threats and treatment she received took its toll. Near the end of her presentation to the coaches in Michigan, Hextall described one of the worst notes she received. She said she was a survivor and elaborated more on what she meant by that. Leah Hextalls Instagram account has to date 4954 followers. Read millions of eBooks and audiobooks on the web, iPad, iPhone and Android. Leah Hextall is actively ruining a portion of the sacred Stanley Cup Playoffs. "It's a lot of fun.". There was once a certain mentality, temperament and persona associated with a "hockey coach" that arguably had a negative impact on our youth. Leah Hextall Is Related To Ron Hextall As Cousins But the ESPN play-by-play announcer, who is based in Winnipeg, has a pretty good background into one of the teams there. In this podcast, Hextall talks about the . Her father is Randy Hextall and her Mother is Elizabeth Hextall. There was a lot of criticism not just within the social media audience, but also within the brethren of hockey that I was not used to facing. As it was Karlsson was stopped and the Ducks won the game but you'd barely realize what was happening from this horrendous call. The last one was March 8, 2020, between the Vegas Golden Knights and Calgary Flames in Calgary. Pat Maroon and Wayne Simmonds were in a smack talk-off, and Leah Hextall was right in the middle of it. Video: I Don't Know How We Missed Leah Hextall Screaming "F***" During Leah Hextall Net worth, earning, and all the ways she makes her fortune. Leah Hextall (@leahhextall) / Twitter A new contender for worst broadcaster of all time (Leah Hextall) LIGHTNING FORWARD TANNER JEANNOT K.O. What is Leah Hextall net worth? boyfriend, parent - HollywoodsMagazine More than 100 have since . Leah Hextall doesnt even know they have not fought before. The move makes Leah Hextall the first woman in NHL history to be a play-by-play commentator for a national TV package. Last season, she was supposed to call the Albany, N.Y., regional, but it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. We would highly recommend Leah to anyone looking for a motivational speaker. This game happened last Tuesday (7 days ago). HockeyFeed. Normally, we dunk all over someone screaming "FUCK" on a hot mic. Because of which the girls never hesitated to do something new in their life. It said, You live in Winnipeg. Mar. Leah Hextall (born c.1981) is a Canadian sports journalist and ice hockey play-by-play broadcaster. How much Net Worth does Ella Jonas Farlinger have? Leah Hextall - Wikiwand Leah was the first female play-by-play announcer for an NHL . And if you get enough of them, maybe its time to start making people be held accountable for what they think is OK and how they treat people.. Asking Wayne Simmons's if he is soft might be one of the most ridiculous questions I . Fischler Report: Why Returning to Juniors is Right for Wright The tweet picked up steam, and her question rocketed around the internet without any context. ~ Marina James, SHEDay Founder, Leah Hextall was a reporter for ESPN's coverage of the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.