Ray Ferraro on His LA Kings Career, Broadcasting and the Evolving Role of Women in Hockey

If children growing up playing shinny on a pond were to imagine themselves being hockey-lifers, they’d think that they would be set for life. To have a long and successful playing career in the NHL before transitioning into a long and successful broadcasting career in the NHL may be one of the most envious of livelihoods for hockey fans everywhere.

Ray Ferraro has done just that, celebrating 36 years in professional hockey.

Over the course of 18 NHL seasons, Ferraro suited up for six teams — including the Los Angeles Kings — and played in 1258 games. Over that span, the native of Trail, British Columbia, scored 408 goals and 490 assists for 898 points.

Not bad for a fifth-round draft pick.

Since his retirement in 2002, though, Ferraro has enjoyed a wonderful broadcasting career, working for, among other networks, TSN in Canada and NBC Sports in the United States.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Ferraro, who spoke with me about his broadcasting career, his time with the Kings and how he’s coping during the pandemic. Also, being married to women’s hockey trailblazer Cammi Granato, Ferraro discussed the future of women in hockey.

Playing the Game to Calling It

While he became a full-time broadcaster following his retirement, Ray Ferraro already had some experience under his belt prior to hanging up the skates.

Playing in the New York area — first with the Islanders and then the Rangers — gave Ferraro enough exposure during intermission and pre- and post-game interviews to be considered for a role behind the mic. In fact, the former centerman caught the eye of his agent.

“I would say that I kind of fell into the broadcasting,” Ferraro said. “I was playing for the Rangers and I got traded to Los Angeles and my agent got a call from Barry Sacks, who was the head of talent at ESPN2.

“Probably five weeks after I got traded in March, he asked if I would be interested in working at ESPN in the playoffs. Well, I had never done broadcasting before and Barry, who lives in New York, had seen me do interviews through the Islanders and Rangers and thought, ‘Here’s a guy who talks a lot and maybe he’ll be okay here.’”

While it may be hard to picture him without a headset between the benches, Ferraro, in 1996, was lukewarm to the idea of being a broadcaster.

“I said, ‘Yeah. I don’t know what I’m doing but sure. I’ll try it,’” an amused Ferraro remembered. “And I guess it went pretty well and they asked if I’d like to come back the next year. So, I wasn’t quite at the point where I was thinking about whether I want to coach or try to get into management. I hadn’t really thought of broadcasting and then it appeared as an option. So, I did it again and it became kind of a regular thing.”

While it may be seen by many as bad luck, Ferraro admits that there was a silver lining to playing on non-playoff teams. After all, he now had time to be a part of the postseason in a different capacity.

“The teams I had played on weren’t playoff-calibre teams, so that got my broadcasting career off to a really good start,” Ferraro chuckled.

“As far as the enjoyment of it, I’m in the game and, for most of it, I’m at ice level, so I feel a connection to the play and to the game itself,” Ferraro noted. “I mean, it’s been my whole life. I really like it.”

Of course, this past year has been a transitional one, to say the least, with the COVID-19 pandemic. While this has been a challenging time, though, the pandemic has given Ferraro a refreshing career perspective.

“I would say that [with broadcasting], of the things I’ve learned about myself in these nine months, is how much having a work purpose matters for me,” the former Hartford Whaler explained. “I mean, I’ve been a creature of the start-and-stop of the hockey season for 35-40 years and it sort of feels like you twist in the wind a little bit without the season going on.”

However anyone feels about the current pandemic, adaptation has been key. In response, Ferraro has done quite well.

Staying Strong

Speaking of the pandemic, I asked Ferraro how he and his family are holding up.

“We’re like a lot of other families, I guess,” the 56-year-old said. “We have periods where we’re fine and others where there’s a weariness and kind of a heaviness to it all. Like, is there ever going to be an endpoint?

“We’re up in British Columbia and our schools are open, and while there’s lots that could be done differently, I think [the province has] has done a pretty good job. The reason I bring up the schools is the normalcy in that regard for our kids [Reese and Riley], who are 13 and 10. It’s really helped our family. You feel like you’re in crisis management the whole time.”

Through all the ups and downs this pandemic comes with, though, Ferraro and family are staying safe and healthy.

“Aside from myself and Cammi, it’s trying to make sure that the boys are okay and that they’ve got something to do and that they’re not losing enthusiasm for everything, which I think was probably the case in June or July where it seemed like we were in the middle of everything,” Ferraro continued. “But, everybody’s healthy. We’re all good so far in our family, so we’re thankful for that.”

Ray’s Reign

In March 1996, Ferraro was part of an eight-player blockbuster trade that sent him from Broadway to Hollywood.

While the Kings did receive two eventual fan favourites in Mattias Norstrom and Ian Laperriere in this trade, Ferraro’s acquisition from the Rangers was a needed veteran presence for a club embarking on a rebuild.

With Wayne Gretzky traded to St. Louis a month prior to Marty McSorley and Jari Kurri headed to New York in exchange for Ferraro and company, the roster that took the Kings to the Stanley Cup Final less than three years earlier was just about overhauled. Only Tony Granato, Kelly Hrudey and Gary Shuchuk remained; but all three would be gone at season’s end. Needless to say, Ferraro joined a new-look Kings team with plenty of growing pains in store.

Still, the veteran enjoyed his time in the City of Angels.

“Oh, I loved my time in Los Angeles,” beamed Ferraro. “I wish we had been a better team. I loved living there. I found it funny when people said that it must be hard to concentrate on hockey with the great weather and I try to explain to people that I don’t know what’s hard about it. When practice was over, I was in a T-shirt and a pair of shorts when I drove home. Back east, I’d be in a toque, jacket and gloves and that’s not enjoyable either. I’d rather be warmer *laughs*.

I liked just about everything about being in Los Angeles except not being near good enough to be a really good team.

“The other part for me was that was where the beginning of my knee problems started. So, I went through four surgeries and months and months of rehab. But, I met some guys, teammates who are friends today and that’s one of the best parts of playing anywhere anyway. But, I have no ill thought of L.A. for sure. I just loved it there.”

While it was 14 years removed from Ferraro’s tenure, the 2012 Los Angeles Kings nonetheless had an effect on the player-turned-broadcaster. In fact, those Ferraro was thrilled for were those he became close with in Los Angeles.

“As far as them winning the Cup, there were still some people around in 2012 that had gone and come back,” the former King said. “Mike Altieri, who is the Director of Communications, is one of my best friends. Man, I was just so happy for him. I was living the series through Mike’s eyes. One day, we’re out for a walk before one of the games and he was so nervous that he could barely drink his coffee at 10 in the morning.

“And with some of the guys that came back to the management side, I was cheering for them. I wanted them to win. [Then-President and CEO of AEG] Tim Leiweke had always been good to me. So, I knew Tim there and ended up running into him in Toronto when he moved to head MLSE (Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment).”

Regardless of what anyone can say about his tenure with the organization, Ferraro nonetheless holds a special appreciation — and admiration — for the Los Angeles Kings. That was especially the case in 2012.

“It was awesome to see the enthusiasm which had been pent up since [the Kings] came in as an expansion team and finally, they got an opportunity to win,” Ferraro reflected. “It’s one thing to go to the Finals — that’s awesome and all that — but to win– Luc Robitaille is one of my all-time favourite people. I played with him both in New York and L.A.; and Blakey (Rob Blake)–. I just felt really good for them, really happy for them.”

More Women, More Success

In addition to his successful careers as a player and a broadcaster, Ray Ferraro also holds a refreshing perspective on women’s role in hockey.

Having been married to Cammi Granato since 2004, Ferraro knows first-hand just how difficult a time women have had in being recognized for their contributions to hockey. Thankfully, events in recent times have resulted in a seismic shift in momentum for women’s collective role in the game, specifically the NHL.

From Ms. Granato and Blake Bolden being hired as scouts by the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings, respectively, to the recent hire of Kendall Coyne-Schofield as player development coach for the Chicago Blackhawks, there is optimism aplenty for women in hockey.

Ray Ferraro emphatically agrees.

“Oh, I don’t think there’s any question of what a front office will look like, physically, in the next five years,” the veteran stated. “It will not look anything like it did a year ago or two years ago. I believe it was [Toronto Maple Leafs general manager] Kyle Dubas who said, a couple of years ago, ‘If you’re only hiring white males, you’re probably leaving a lot on the table in terms of where your organization goes and how it evolves and develops.’ And I thought that was really interesting in that he was talking about how there are great ideas out there and great people who have ideas about the game of hockey that aren’t even being considered. So, I see that that’s beginning to happen on a far more consistent basis and I know– of course, I live with Cammi and we talk about this quite often.

“There will be a time, in rather short order, when a woman gets hired into a front office, it’s not even going to be much of a story other than this person got hired.”

The 18-year NHL veteran continued, using the recent example of a veteran baseball executive who recently made waves in becoming the first female general manager in Major League Baseball history.

“Now, when someone like Kim Ng gets hired as the general manager of the [MLB’s Miami] Marlins, there’s an immediacy as to why there’s not a woman general manager, and can there be a woman general manager, in hockey,” Ferraro explained. “But, part of the story that can’t be forgotten is that Kim has been successful for 30 years in baseball in every possible role that has been afforded the opportunity to her. So, in the steps in hockey, you just can’t start as a general manager. I mean, there are all kinds of broadcasters who talk about how they like to be a general manager because their names are somewhat in the public and their names get bandied about. You can’t go from, in my opinion, being in management to being the head of management. So, the pathways that are starting to open will create the pathway to the general manager.”

As far as Ferraro is concerned, there is absolutely no reason why an NHL team can’t follow the path of the Marlins.

“I don’t see why a female can’t be a general manager,” the broadcaster continued. “Like, why not? There’s nothing other than using your brain cells, your management skills and your vision to be a manager; and I say there’s nothing else but that’s a lot. There are lots of people who get to be general managers that have never played the game or certainly not a level that would be considered the highest level. It doesn’t matter. It used to matter. That used to be the only path in getting to the big chair. But, it doesn’t matter anymore and nor should it matter.”

Whether you want it to attribute it to skill, luck, timing or a combination of all three, Ray Ferraro has nonetheless been blessed to have such a successful career in hockey.

A consistent offensive threat as a player, Ferraro would score a WHL-record 108 goals in a season as a junior before embarking on a pro career that saw him help bring him both individual and team success. This includes the 1993 playoffs.

En route to a shocking upset of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, Ferraro would accomplish the rare feat of scoring two overtime goals in one playoff series against Rick Tabaracci and the Washington Capitals.

After a playing career that saw him suit up for the Whalers, Islanders, Rangers, Kings, Thrashers and Blues, Ferraro would embark on his long, illustrious broadcasting career. The latter includes, since 2014, being a part of the EA Sports NHL family, which now includes the franchise’s first female broadcaster in Carrlyn Bathe.

As a broadcaster, in fact, Ferraro even had the privilege of calling a few games involving his son, Landon, who spent some time playing in the NHL before taking his game to Germany. 

While it is evident just how proud and reflective he is of his own career in hockey, Ray Ferraro is even more proud of the change of hockey — a change that has seen the NHL open more doors for women.

The aforementioned names of Cammi Granato, Blake Bolden and Kendall Coyne-Schofield are already synonymous with the positive, albeit overdue, transition for hockey’s state of inclusion for women. However, we can safely bet that we will be hearing many more in the next few years. Ferraro, whose career in professional hockey has spanned five decades now, knows this as the husband of a trailblazer but more so as a progressive individual whose knowledge and analysis of the game is second-to-none.

He has been fortunate enough for both the quality and quantity of his career to date but Ray Ferraro is no less fortunate for the inclusion of women in hockey as well as the future of the sport overall. So, while the short-term future of the NHL is currently uncertain, the long-term future is anything but.

Inclusion is not tolerance, it is unquestioned acceptance; and it is that that has earned Ms. Granato, Ms. Bolden and Mrs. Coyne-Schofield their respective roles. It is that that will pave the way for a plethora of more roles in the NHL to be filled by deserving, hard-working women. It is that that has made many like Ray Ferraro honoured to be a part of hockey, the NHL and its mission to be a major part of an era that is more progressive and more forward-thinking than any other in history.

 

 

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