NESN today announced their plans for the 2013-2014 Bruins season, which include 71 Bruins games, enhanced pre and post game shows, a larger role for Billy Jaffe and have named Jamie Erdahl to replace Naoko Funayama at rink-side.
Erdahl has filled in for Jenny Dell on Red Sox broadcast on several occasions this season, and has gotten good reviews for her performance.
Here is the release from NESN:
“Nothing is quite like the excitement of Bruins hockey and the passion of Bruins fans. We plan to feed that enthusiasm this season by aggressively expanding and enhancing our coverage, which will be the most comprehensive in the network’s history,” said Sean McGrail, NESN’s President and CEO.
“We are excited to bring Bruins fans unprecedented coverage of the team utilizing a custom-built, television production truck, top-level HD cameras, a super slo-mo unit, additional replay angles, interactive components for viewers, and several NESN talent expanding their roles covering the team,” said Joseph Maar, NESN’s vice president of programming & production/executive producer.
NESN’s Play-by-Play Team
The popular broadcast duo of Jack Edwards (@RealJackEdwards) and Andy Brickley (@AndyBrickley) will be back in the NESN booth for their 9th season together. Both Edwards and Brickley will also continue as regular panelists on The Instigators, NESN’s weekly NHL issues and debate show, and as regular contributors to NESN Sports Today. Brickley will add on-ice demonstrations of Bruins techniques and NHL strategies.
New Rink-Side Reporter Named
NESN Sports Today anchor/reporter and sideline reporter Jamie Erdahl (@JamieErdahl) will be the network’s new Bruins rink-side reporter. She will join Edwards and Brickley as part of NESN’s Bruins broadcast team providing in-game updates and pre-game, intermission and post-game interviews. Erdahl will continue to contribute year-round as an anchor/reporter for NESN Sports Today and as a fill-in sideline reporter on Red Sox game telecasts.
“Jamie has proven to be a great addition to our team of reporters at NESN. She displays a great work ethic, employs strong research skills and has demonstrated her ability to connect with viewers and players alike. Having grown up in a region passionate about hockey, we’re certain Jamie will connect with Bruins fans as well,” said Joseph Maar.
Erdahl, a Minnesota native, joined NESN last November as an anchor and reporter. In addition to anchoring NESN Sports Today, she has reported on the Bruins, Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots for NESN Sports Today and has filled in for Jenny Dell as the Red Sox sideline reporter numerous times this season. Erdahl came to NESN after working as a freelance reporter at FOX Sports North where she served as a sideline reporter on WNBA telecasts.
NESN’s Bruins Pre and Post-game Team
Dale Arnold (@DaleEArnold) will return for his third season as host of NESN’s Bruins pre-game, intermission and post-game programs. Arnold will also contribute to expanded Bruins coverage on NESN Sports Today.
Billy Jaffe (@BJaffe) will join Arnold on pre-game, intermission and post-game for at least fifty (50) games this season. His significantly increased role also includes hosting two dozen episodes of The Instigators, working on the network’s Hockey East coverage, and serving as a regular contributor on Big Bad Bruins LIVE and NESN Sports Today. Jaffe will be moving to the Boston area to expand his Bruins on-air work and will continue to serve as a studio analyst for Rogers Sportsnet in Toronto.
For the past few seasons, in addition to working at NESN, Jaffe had served as a hockey analyst/reporter for The NHL Network and MSG Network’s Hockey Night Live Show. His NHL portfolio also includes four years as a game analyst for MSG Network’s New York Islanders broadcasts and as a rink-side reporter and game analyst for national telecasts on Versus.
Long-time studio analysts Barry Pederson and Gord Kluzak will also return to NESN’s pre-game, intermission and post-game coverage this season.
NESN’s Back in Black and Gold Tour
To kick off the 2013-14 season, NESN’s Jack Edwards, Andy Brickley and Jamie Erdahl will take a 4-day, 5-city tour of New England beginning next Monday, September 16. The tour will be highlighted by free public events in Providence, RI; Hartford, CT; Portland, ME; and Portsmouth, NH.
Boston Sports Media Watch 
“Jamie has proven to be a great addition to our team of reporters at NESN. She displays a great work ethic, employs strong research skills …”
what they are really thinking >>>>>
“and MOST IMPORTANTLY, she’s a little blonde hottie”
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No complaints about Erdahl but someone has to tell me why Leah Hextall got passed over here?
Easy on the eyes? Check. But she kinda has something Jamie and most don’t have with the hockey heritage thing and has covered the sport for how years longer?
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Jenny didn’t have the experience either but seems to be a great addition…
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I didn’t mean my question/complaint above as a knock on Erdahl. It was just if you took both of them side-by-side, Leah kinda has a clear advantage on the hockey part. I thought both were hired at/about the same time, so it’s not like it could be a financial decision (ie: we know they’re good but they’ll eventually pop on the radar of a national network or better gig, NESN won’t pay, and they’re gone).
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I agree completely, Leah has the experience and does a great job but Jamie has the edge in the looks department…and, unfortunately, as was the case with Kathryn Tappen (sigh) they will probably both move on…
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I have to admit, she showed grit while being showered with water during a post-game interview with Jonny Gomes at Fenway…the key here is asking the Bruins interesting questions during the interviews at intermission…not softballs…
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Frankly. all these “rink side” or “sideline” reporters whether male,female, whatever, offer nothing. They got to put something on to kill the time between periods, that’s it…then again, maybe Erdahl will get lucky and some B’s fan will plunk another with a piece of pizza then she can do the big interview.
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Let’s put it this way, most memorable “sideline/rinkside/” reporter interview in history? … the Suzy Kolber “I wanna kiss you” interview with a shit-faced Joe Namath…#2 ?…ahhh…that’s the only one I ever remembered
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