The Manitoba Junior Hockey League is excited to announce the broadcast team for the 2019 Old Dutch MJHL Player Showcase held September 29 – October 1. Famed national sports personality, Leah Hextall will headline the Showcase broadcast team along with Dave Anthony (Steinbach Pistons) and Brant Hilton (Winnipeg Blues). In 2019, Leah made history as the first women to call play-by-play for the men’s NCAA Division I Hockey Tournament for ESPN.
Leah also made history a year prior as part of the first-female hockey broadcast to call a professional hockey game for Sportsnet, receiving national and international acclaim in the play-by-play role. In a 2018 article in the Globe and Mail, Scott Moore, former president of Sportsnet and NHL properties, declared Leah a “trailblazer.” Doc Emrick, Hall of Fame play-by-play broadcaster for NBC Sports told The Athletic, he believes Leah will be the first woman to do play-by-play for an NHL team.
Over the past 17 years, Leah has been an on-air presence for the largest networks in North America: ESPN, Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada.
Dave Anthony will kick-off the event by calling the lone Showcase game on Sunday, September 29 as the Neepawa Natives face the OCN Blizzard. Anthony will also voice the 12:00 PM games on both Monday, September 30 and Tuesday, October 1 plus provide colour commentary with Leah Hextall. Brant Hilton will lead the call for the 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM for both Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, Leah Hextall will head the 3:00 PM & 6:00 PM games for both Monday and Tuesday. All boradcasts at the Showcase and throughout the MJHL season are powered by Hockey TV.
