Darren Dreger
{{short description|Canadian sportscaster for TSN|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox person
|name=Darren Dreger
| image =
| image_size = 225px
| alt =
| caption =
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1968|6|13}}
|birth_place=Red Deer, Alberta
|known_for=Sportscaster on The NHL on TSN
|occupation=Sportscaster, and analyst
| employer = Bell Media
|alma_mater=Western Academy Broadcasting College
| spouse(s) = Holly
| children = 2
}}
Darren Dreger (born June 13, 1968{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}) is a Canadian sportscaster for TSN, and is one of TSN's Hockey Insiders. He had previously hosted Leafs Lunch on CFMJ AM640 Toronto Radio.
Broadcasting career
After graduating from the Western Academy Broadcasting College, Dreger was immediately offered a job from a radio station in Winkler, Manitoba. However, on the same day, he was offered another job closer to home, which he accepted.{{cite web |last1=Kelly |first1=Brad |title=Brooklin's Darren Dreger a hockey insider for TSN |url=https://www.durhamregion.com/community-story/5737577-brooklin-s-darren-dreger-a-hockey-insider-for-tsn/ |website=durhamregion.com |access-date=November 28, 2019 |date=August 8, 2015}} Beginning in 1992, Dreger lent his voice as a play-by-play announcer for the Brandon Wheat Kings. This lasted until 1993 when he was hired to replace Daren Millard at CTV Winnipeg.{{cite news|title=Hockey Players + Students + Books = Jets Reader Club|date=December 7, 1993|newspaper=Shoal Lake Crossroads|location=Manitoba|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-dec-07-1993-1452536/}}{{free access}} While there, he also conducted play-by-play for the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.{{cite news |title=Job Hunt Continues for Ritchie|date=August 7, 1996 |newspaper=Brandon Sun |location=Manitoba |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-aug-07-1996-1452535/}}{{free access}}
From Winnipeg, Dreger moved to Edmonton in 1997 to report on Edmonton Oilers games and was subsequently hired by Sportsnet as a national host for their NHL package in 1998.{{cite web |last1=Stewart |first1=Lanny |title=Journal Q & A with Darren Dreger |url=https://www.empireadvance.ca/2.4493/westman-journal/interviews/journal-q-a-with-darren-dreger-1.6853725 |website=empireadvance.ca |access-date=November 29, 2019 |date=January 10, 2017}} Dreger was the former host of Hockey Central on Rogers Sportsnet between 1998 and 2006. On July 14, 2006, it was announced that Dreger would leave Sportsnet and join TSN on July 31, 2006, hence 'crossing the parking lot'.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
Dreger won a Gemini Award in 2010 in the Best Sports Reporting category for his coverage of the firing of NHLPA Executive Director Paul Kelly. He was the only reporter in Chicago when the news broke and therefore had sole coverage.{{cite news |last1=Dowbiggin |first1=Bruce |title=TSN's Dreger lands quite a fish in NHLPA derby |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/tsns-dreger-lands-quite-a-fish-in-nhlpa-derby/article789673/ |access-date=November 28, 2019 |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=September 7, 2009}} In October 2014, Bob McKenzie and Dreger began appearing as a full-time contributors on NBCSN, until NBC Sports lost the NHL hockey rights to both ESPN and Turner Sports in 2021. This was because TSN lost their NHL broadcasting rights package to Sportsnet.{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2014/10/7/6935735/bob-mckenzie-darren-dreger-nbcsn-tsn|title=Dreger, McKenzie set to join NBCSN|access-date=March 17, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2014/10/06/espn-nba-television-deal-media-circus|title=Meet NBC's new hockey personalities in this week's Media Circus|first=Richard|last=Deitsch|access-date=March 17, 2017}}
Personal life
Dreger was born in Red Deer, Alberta, and grew up in Saskatchewan. Dreger and his wife Holly have two children together, a son and a daughter.{{cite web |title=TSN's Darren Dreger has one cool backyard rink |url=https://o.canada.com/sports/tsns-darren-dreger-has-one-cool-backyard-rink |website=o.canada.com |access-date=November 29, 2019 |date=December 13, 2013 |archive-date=August 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813075357/http://o.canada.com/sports/tsns-darren-dreger-has-one-cool-backyard-rink |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.tsn.ca/talent/darren-dreger-1.88374 TSN profile]
- [https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=171284 TSN adds Darren Dreger to hockey team]
- [http://www.wheatcityjournal.ca/news_item.aspx?news_id=1058 Wheat City Journal article on Darren Dreger]
- {{Twitter}}
{{NHL on TSN}}
{{NHL on Sportsnet}}
{{NHL on NBC}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dreger, Darren}}
Category:Canadian television sportscasters
Category:National Hockey League broadcasters
Category:People from Red Deer, Alberta