Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange cuts back on schedule

PITTSBURGH — Legendary Penguins radio announcer Mike Lange is cutting back on his schedule during the upcoming season.

The Penguins announced Thursday that Lange would only travel to approximately 15 of the team’s 41 road games. Lange will still do the radio announcing for all of the team’s 41 regular season home games.

Lange will still call all playoff games, the team said.

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"I decided that in my 43rd season of NHL broadcasting it was time to really take a look at the road schedule, to start reducing my travel a bit," Lange said in a release on the team’s website.

His partner behind the mic, Phil Bourque, told WPXI about how he found out Lange was considering scaling back.  “Mikey came to me for a little dinner and drinks 4-6 weeks ago and he just out of nowhere, wasn't prompted at all, just posed the question what do you think if I took a few road games off,” said Bourque. “I said, ‘Mikey i think it's a great idea.’”

The grind of calling 213 games in two Stanley Cup Championship seasons probably played a role in it.  Bourque gave some insight about the demands of the job: “Mike is a detail guy, a guy that prepares like it's the first game he's ever done. He doesn't know another way. He has a routine, and there's a lot of concentration, a lot of memory. And maybe it doesn't sound like it would be that taxing physically but you are traveling with the team and getting in 2, 3 in the morning, and maybe you don't sleep that good when you get to the hotel or in different beds with different pillows and all that, and it can take a toll on you.”

Bourque said the best part about this move is that Lange himself endorsed it, and has taken Josh Getzoff under his wing.  Getzoff will call 26 road games in the upcoming season.  Bourque believes taking some time off each season could add years to Lange’s career.  In the meantime, Bourque is trying to take in every moment.

He said, “I do catch myself taking a step away even during his play by play calls and just embracing the moment and trying to remember everything because he's not going to be here forever…There's been some great broadcasters come down the turnpike here to this little town in Western Pennsylvania, but Mike Lange has always been the voice of the Penguins always will be the voice of the Penguins and hey, listen, he's still working and he's already in the Hockey Hall of Fame, need I say more?”

All Penguins games are broadcast on 105.9 The X and the Penguins Radio Network.

To see the team's entire release, CLICK HERE.

Cox Media Group