Manor Nick Nickson Retiring Next Summer; Update on Kings TV Plans for 2024-25

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Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Nick Nickson is set to call his final opening night game later this week. On Tuesday, the Kings announced he will retire from his broadcasting duties when the 2024-25 season eventually comes to an end next spring.

“There comes a moment when you get a sense that it is the right time to move on, and I feel that after this season it will be that time,” said Nickson.

Nickson is about to embark on his 44th season as the “Voice of the Kings” in some capacity, serving in both radio and television roles for more than 3,800 games with Los Angeles. Additionally, he previously called nearly 500 games in the American Hockey League (AHL).

“Shortly after graduating from college in 1975, I began my hockey broadcasting career, and it has been an absolute privilege to bring the game to the listeners and viewers from one season to the next,” continued Nickson. “Through it all, I have enjoyed calling every shot, every save, every goal, and two Stanley Cups. To my family and the Kings organization, thank you for your unwavering support and loyalty. To the great fans of Kings Hockey, thank you for your encouragement and kind words over the years. It has always meant the world to me.”

A native of Rochester, New York, the Kings honored him with “Nick Nickson Day” in 2006, acknowledging his 25 years of broadcasting service with the organization. Among his many other accolades, Nickson received the prestigious Foster Hewitt Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 and was inducted into the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2009.

“Nick has been a trusted and valuable voice for our fans during his incredible career and is synonymous with the LA Kings,” noted Luc Robitaille. “He has been there for every historic moment to eloquently bring to life the action on the ice. Most importantly, he is a terrific person who has been equally important as an ambassador for our team and in our community. We look forward to celebrating his final season.”

Ironically, Bob Miller also called 44 seasons with the Kings before he retired a few years back.

At this time, there is no information available regarding who will take over Kings play-by-play responsibilities once Nickson hands off the baton next summer. That will all likely reveal itself several months down the road. For now, this year will serve as a farewell season for Nickson — including further celebration and recognition from the team, with details expected to be released at a later date.

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Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Nickson will once again lead the Kings TV broadcasts, providing play-by-play for 62 regular season games on Bally Sports West and seven games on KCAL-TV (Channel 9). LA will also be featured in 13 games nationally, across multiple broadcast and streaming outlets as listed here.

This season marks the Kings 39th consecutive year they’ll be on Bally Sports West. In addition, Bally Sports West will produce the seven games that will be broadcast locally on KCAL-TV.

As a reminder, there has been a change on the radio side. Games can no longer be found in the iHeart app, as the Kings have moved to ESPN LA.

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