Brendan Burke Named Play-By-Play Announcer For Islanders

Today, MSG Networks announced that Brendan Burke will succeed Howie Rose as the next play-by-play announcer of the New York Islanders. Burke will join Islanders legend Butch Goring to call the action for team’s games in the 2016-17 NHL season.  Burke leaves the booth for the AHL Utica Comets, where he served as play-by-play commentator, as well as pre-game, intermission, and post-game interviewer since 2013. He has experience calling action for NHL radio as a fill-in play-by-play announcer with the St. Louis Blues from 09-12 as well as for Peoria, their AHL affiliate where he also served as Director of Communications.  Burke’s father, Don covered the Yankees, Mets and Nets as a reporter for the Record and Star Ledger in New Jersey.  He said he grew up watching the local teams, but managed to stay neutral as a fan while following his father’s career and practiced his play-by-play into a recorder while sitting in the stands.

Burke’s television experience for the AHL All-Star Game in 2015 and his work in the booth for Utica got him noticed as the league’s “most outstanding media member."  It also got him noticed by someone at MSG for the job with New York. Seemingly, he did a few simulated auditions with Mr. Goring and that was enough for him to land the opportunity.  Burke called doing play-by-play with the Isles a “dream job,” and said “It is an incredible honor to be joining MSG Networks and becoming part of the Islanders family.”  He added, “It’s very humbling to think I am following in the footsteps of two of the all-time greats in Howie Rose and Jiggs McDonald. It has been a lifelong goal to be an NHL broadcaster and to come home to New York City, and to work for one of the NHL’s iconic franchises, is an absolute dream come true.”  When I reached out to Jiggs and asked him if he had heard about Burke getting the job, he said, “I've left a message on his cell extending a welcome to the Islanders TV booth - wishing him a long and rewarding career. By rewards I mean Stanley Cup rings.”

Andrea Greenberg, president and CEO, MSG Networks remarked, “Brendan joins our exceptional production team, including on-air talent Butch Goring, Shannon Hogan, and Stan Fischer at the start of what promises to be another exciting Islanders season.”  It's Fischler, but I guess it's all good.

Isles Notes:

Islanders co-owner, Jon Ledecky is the uncle of Katie Ledecky.  Katie Ledecky is a Team USA swimmer who has shattered a few records and won a few gold medals in epic fashion over the last few days in Rio.