Leah Hextall is a Canadian sportscaster primarily known for her work as a play‑by‑play announcer in ice‑hockey broadcasting. She made history in 2020 as the first woman to provide play‑by‑play commentary for a regular‑season National Hockey League (NHL) game on a national television broadcast in Canada.
Early life and education
Leah Hextall was born in Canada in 1981. Details about her place of birth and family background are limited in publicly available encyclopedic sources.
Broadcasting career
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Early roles – Hextall began her career in sports journalism with positions at local television stations, including CHCH‑TV in Hamilton, Ontario. She later worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), covering a range of sports.
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National hockey broadcasting – Hextall joined Sportsnet, where she contributed to its NHL coverage. On March 1 2020, she performed the play‑by‑play for the Winnipeg Jets vs. Calgary Flames game, marking the first time a woman held that role for an NHL regular‑season game on a national Canadian broadcast.
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Olympic and international coverage – She has served as a play‑by‑play announcer for CBC’s coverage of women’s ice‑hockey at the 2022 Winter Olympics and has worked on international tournaments for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
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Recent positions – As of 2023, Hextall is employed by TSN and continues to provide play‑by‑play commentary for NHL games and other hockey events, as well as contributing to sports radio and digital platforms.
Significance
Leah Hextall’s pioneering role in NHL broadcasting is recognized as a milestone for gender representation in sports media. Her work has been cited by industry publications as expanding opportunities for women in play‑by‑play announcing.
References
Encyclopedic entries and reputable news outlets such as CBC News, The Globe and Mail, and TSN have documented Hextall’s career milestones and her historic NHL broadcast.
