Ryan Callahan Steps Back from ESPN Hockey Coverage

Ryan Callahan has announced he won’t be returning to ESPN for hockey coverage this season. The former New York Ranger took to social media to share that he would be “taking a step back” after four years as a top analyst. He revealed this news on a Tuesday, coinciding with the opening game of the Blues against the Penguins at ESPN’s Garden.

“It’s been an amazing four years with a world leader in the sport,” Callahan expressed in a post. “I’m going to miss working with the great people there, but I wanted to spend more time with my young family. I’m excited to tune in tonight to watch the start of another great NHL season!” This decision did not come as a total surprise, particularly after ESPN announced multiple contract renewals for other hockey personalities the previous Monday—Callahan was notably absent from that list.

Fans and colleagues reacted swiftly on social media after his departure was made public, including play-by-play broadcaster Bob Wischusen and hockey reporter Greg Wiszynski. Wischusen wrote, “I miss this guy!” while Wiszynski added, “You rocked Carrie. Thank you for everything you did to make things better.”

Callahan, now 40, retired from the NHL on December 30, 2020, after a solid 13-season career. He represented Team USA at the Olympics in both 2010 and 2014. He began his broadcasting career with the NHL Network in 2019 before moving to ESPN in 2021 when the network resumed its hockey coverage. He also served as an analyst for NBC’s NHL broadcasts.

While Callahan hasn’t definitively stated that he’s done with broadcasting for good, it appears he’ll be off the airwaves for the foreseeable future.