NHL: The Best and Worst Hockey Players Turned Commentators

The fastest way to get into broadcasting professional sports is to have played professional sports. People want to listen to the guy they grew up watching. It's that simple.

Sometimes, former players make excellent analysts. Other times, they are unwatchable.

Let's take a look at the best and the worst of players turned announcers.

The Best: Jeremy Roenick

Plenty of people will disagree with me, but I think Jeremy Roenick makes an excellent NHL analyst. He brings the same passion that he brought during his playing days, and while it's not always easy to agree with him, he makes watching the coverage entertaining.

The Best: Don Cherry

People either love or hate Don Cherry. Personally, I can't understand the hatred towards the guy. He is the best in the business. His commentary is entertaining, he has outstanding body language and the suits he wears are unlike anything on this planet.

The Best: Bill Clement

Bill Clement enjoyed a fairly successful career as a player, but his work as a broadcaster has overshadowed that. He provides excellent color for the games and always has a unique take on things.

The Best: Darren Pang

Is there a better voice for a hockey game than Darren Pang's? Once a goaltender in the NHL, Panger knows the game as well as anyone in the business and is so fluid in his broadcast.

The Best: Barry Melrose

What would this list be if I didn't include Barry Melrose? Melrose is the only voice the NHL has on ESPN. He deserves respect for that.

The Best: Marty Turco

There have been talks about Marty Turco getting another shot between the pipes, but I enjoy his work as an analyst too much to root for him to get signed.

The Best: Kevin Weekes

All too often, analysts give faulty analysis of the goaltending, so Kevin Weekes is a breath of fresh air on television.

The Worst: Matthew Barnaby

Matthew Barnaby was a solid player and a decent analyst. However, his recent arrest brought negative attention to his employer and the game of hockey. 

The Worst: Andy Brickley

Nothing is worse than a pretentious announcer. When Andy Brickley calls the game, I constantly feel like he is trying to prove to the viewers how much he knows about hockey. Often times, he is just flat out wrong too.

The Worst: Mike Milbury

Mike Milbury was an average player, a terrible coach and an embarrassing general manager. He may be worst at being an analyst, however. He is biased, misguided and always angry.