As a result of bothBell Canada andRogers Communications having an ownership stake in MLSE, Maple Leafs broadcasts are split between the two media companies; with regional TV broadcasts split between Rogers'Sportsnet Ontario and Bell'sTSN4.[1]Colour commentary for Bell's television broadcasts is performed byMike Johnson, while play-by-play is provided byGord Miller.[2] Colour commentary for Rogers' television broadcasts is performed byCraig Simpson, while play-by-play is provided byChris Cuthbert.[3]
On Saturday nights, theToronto Maple Leafs have always been onCBC'sHockey Night in Canada.Bill Hewitt did the play-by-play on most, but not all games through1980–81.Bob Cole did numerous Maple Leafs games starting in1973–74, and most Maple Leafs games starting in1981–82. Maple Leafs road games were televised on theTelemeter pay TV service for four years starting on February 28,1960, when Bill Hewitt andBob Wolff did the inaugural telecast fromNew York'sMadison Square Garden. Until1961, only Sunday games were shown and in1961–62 and1962–63, Bill Hewitt did play-by-play on all road games played in the United States.
The Maple Leafs appeared on television on Wednesdays starting in1960, with Bill Hewitt on play-by-play.CFTO aired midweek Maple Leafs games, either independently or as part ofCTV's Wednesday nightHockey Night in Canada broadcasts, starting from the station's inception in 1960 all the way to1976–77. ThenCHCH in Hamilton broadcast them from1977–78 to1987–88. Then theGlobal Television Network, which operated solely in Ontario at the time, broadcast midweek Leafs games into the late 1990s.
In1981–82, following Bill Hewitt's sudden retirement, various combinations worked these games. Normally, eitherMickey Redmond orGary Dornhoefer served on colour commentary with play-by-play provided fromDave Hodge,Danny Gallivan, orDan Kelly.Jim Hughson did play-by-play for the Wednesday games from1982–86, with Redmond, Dornhoefer, orGary Green, andBrad Selwood joins the crew on the fourth. In1986–87,Harry Neale joined Selwood became the mid-week color commentator, and play-by-play was done by eitherPeter Maher,Bruce Buchanan, or Erik Tomas.Scotty Bowman and Selwood also fill-in for Neale when needed. In1988–89,Joe Bowen did play-by-play on midweek TV games thru1994–95. From1995–97,Jiggs McDonald did play-by-play before Bowen's return to TV thefollowing season. When Bowen was doing TV, radio play-by-play was done byKen Daniels thru1994–95 andDennis Beyak starting in1997–98.
Through the 2000s, select games were aired on team ownedLeafs TV. The Leafs TV package of games ended when MLSE was bought byBell Canada andRogers Communications moving the games to Sportsnet Ontario and TSN.
Like the Maple Leafs television broadcasts, radio broadcasts are split evenly between Rogers'CJCL (Sportsnet 590, The Fan) and Bell'sCHUM (TSN Radio 1050). Both Bell and Rogers' radio broadcasts have their colour commentary provided byJim Ralph, with play-by-play provided byJoe Bowen. Foster Hewitt was the Leafs' first play-by-play broadcaster, providing radio play-by-play from 1927 to 1968. In addition, he provided play-by-play for television from 1952 to 1958, and colour commentary from 1958 to 1961.[6] Originally aired overCFCA, Hewitt's broadcast was picked up by theCanadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (the CRBC) in 1933, moving toCBC Radio (the CRBC's successor) three years later.[7] As the show was aired on Canadian national radio, Hewitt became famous for the phrase "He shoots, he scores!" as well as his sign-on at the beginning of each broadcast, "Hello, Canada, and hockey fans in the United States and Newfoundland."[note 1][8]
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