Popular NHL voice Dave Strader will return to his broadcast perch in Dallas this week. During the summer, it was announced that Strader had cancer. He’s missed games due to his treatment for cholangiocarcinoma which is a rare and aggressive form of cancer. But a break in his treatment schedule will allow him to return to call a five-game homestand starting this Saturday.

It will mark a reunion with analyst Daryl “Razor” Reaugh. Craig Ludwig who has been filling in for Strader will return to the pregame, intermission and postgame shows.

The five games which Strader will call are as follows:

Tampa Bay at Dallas — Saturday, February 18
Arizona at Dallas — Frdiay, February 24
Boston at Dallas — Sunday, February 26*
Pittsburgh at Dallas — Tuesday, February 28
New York Islanders at Dallas — Thursday, March 2

All of the games except for Boston at Dallas will be aired on Fox Sports Southwest. The Bruins-Stars game will be a radio-only broadcast. If you live outside the Dallas Metroplex, the ways to watch Strader will be via the NHL Center Ice out-of-market TV package or online through NHL.TV.

Once this homestand is finished, Strader will return to upstate New York to resume his treatment. Back in September, Strader gave an update stating there there’s no cure for the cancer, but it is treatable.

In his second season as the Voice of the Stars, Strader and Reaugh were ranked third in our local NHL announcer ratings last year which is quite an accomplishment. Strader has called games for ESPN/ABC, Fox, NBC/NBCSN as well as on the local level for Detroit, Florida and Phoenix, before landing in Dallas for the 2015-16 season.

It’ll be goood to hear Dave once again and hopefully he’ll be able to call more games this season.

[NHL.com]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.