Ray Ferraro

Ray Ferraro
Raymond Vincent Ferraro (born August 23, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current broadcaster for ESPN/ABC and select regional Vancouver Canucks games on Sportsnet. He played for 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Hartford Whalers (1984–1990), New York Islanders (1990–1995), New York Rangers (1995–1996), Los Angeles Kings (1996–1999), Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2002), and St. Louis Blues (2002).
Playing career
Ferraro was a prolific scorer in junior hockey, including a 108-goal and 192-point season for the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Brandon Wheat Kings in 1983–84. He also was a member of the 1982–83 Portland Winter Hawks squad that won the 1983 Memorial Cup. Ferraro's teammates on the championship-winning team included Cam Neely, Mike Vernon, Brian Curran, John Kordic, and other future NHLers.
In his NHL career, he scored 408 goals and 490 assists for a total of 898 points in 1,258 games spanning 18 seasons. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game in 1992, held in Philadelphia. He also had two 40-goal seasons.
Ferraro had a memorable Stanley Cup playoff run for the New York Islanders in 1993, scoring two overtime goals against the Washington Capitals as the Islanders defeated both the Capitals and the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Ferraro assisted on David Volek's game- and series-winning goal during overtime of Game 7 against the Penguins. The goal advanced the Islanders to the Wales Conference Finals, which they lost to the eventual champion Montreal Canadiens. Ferraro finished that playoff season with team-leading totals in goals (13) and points (20).
Broadcasting
Ferraro retired from the NHL on August 2, 2002. He has worked for ESPN hockey broadcasts, including on NHL 2Night with John Buccigross and Barry Melrose, where he began working while still an active player. On that show, Ferraro was often referred to as "Chicken Parm" by Buccigross after an accident with Chicken Parmesan moments before going on the air. He later worked as a studio analyst for the NHL on NBC, as a colour commentator on Edmonton Oilers broadcasts on Rogers Sportsnet West, and on Sportsnet's other hockey programs.
Ferraro works as a colour commentator and studio analyst for TSN Hockey, including the 2010 Winter Olympics for CTV. After Pierre McGuire left TSN for NBC/Versus, he became the lead color commentator. After Rogers Media, the parent of TSN's rival Sportsnet, gained the national NHL rights with effect in the 2014–15 NHL season, Ferraro became a color commentator for the network's regional NHL telecasts, primarily working Toronto Maple Leafs games.
On May 5, 2014, EA Sports announced that Ferraro would be an "Inside-the-Glass" reporter for NHL 15 along with play-by-play commentator Mike Emrick and color commentator Eddie Olczyk. The trio worked together for five years. On November 23, 2015, Ferraro became the first hockey broadcaster to broadcast a game where his child also played in the same game, with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Boston Bruins at the Air Canada Centre.
During the 2019 NHL Awards, Ferraro was promoted to lead color commentator in NHL 20. Also in 2019, he and Darren Dreger started a podcast, The Ray and Dregs Hockey Podcast, hosted by TSN.
With ESPN regaining the rights to air NHL games, Ferraro returned to ESPN/ABC for the 2021–22 season, this time as lead color commentator, sharing with Brian Boucher. That season also saw him work him work his first ever Stanley Cup Finals series as a color commentator at his ice-level analyst position, and he teamed with Sean McDonough and Emily Kaplan for the entire series. Ferraro left TSN after the season to focus on his work at ESPN/ABC.
On September 19, 2023, Ferraro was announced as a colour commentator for the Vancouver Canucks regional broadcasts on Sportsnet for select games.
Personal life
As a youngster, Ferraro played in the 1976 Little League World Series.
Ferraro currently lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Transactions
November 13, 1990 — Traded by the Hartford Whalers to the New York Islanders in exchange for Doug Crossman
August 9, 1995 — Signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers
March 14, 1996 — Traded by the New York Rangers, along with Ian Laperrière, Nathan LaFayette, Mattias Norström and New York's 1997 fourth-round draft choice (Tomi Kallarsson), to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Jari Kurri, Marty McSorley and Shane Churla
August 9, 1999 – Signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Thrashers
March 18, 2002 — Traded by the Atlanta Thrashers to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a 2002 fourth-round draft choice
Video games
Ferraro was the color analyst for EA Sports' hockey video games from 2014 to 2023. He was the ice level reporter starting in NHL 15, working with NBC Sports’ Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk. He partnered with new play-by-play man James Cybulski, starting with NHL 20. Starting with NHL 24, Ferraro will be replaced with Cheryl Pounder.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards
Bob Brownridge Memorial Trophy (WHL leading scorer) – 1984
WHL East First All-Star Team – 1984
See also
Captain (ice hockey)
List of NHL players with 1000 games played
References
External links
1964 births
Living people
Atlanta Thrashers captains
Atlanta Thrashers players
Binghamton Whalers players
Brandon Wheat Kings players
Canadian ice hockey centres
Canadian television sportscasters
Capital District Islanders players
Edmonton Oilers announcers
Hartford Whalers draft picks
Hartford Whalers players
Ice hockey people from Trail, British Columbia
Los Angeles Kings players
National Hockey League broadcasters
New York Islanders players
New York Rangers players
Portland Winterhawks players
St. Louis Blues players
Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent