The 2023-24 NHL season will be the final one for Columbus Blue Jackets play-by-play broadcaster Jeff Rimer.
The 72-year-old Rimer announced his decision in an open letter to fans posted on the Blue Jackets website.
Here’s an excerpt from Rimer’s letter.
To have the privilege of a broadcast career in radio and television for parts of six decades, including 47 years in the National Hockey League as a pre-, intermission and post-game host before moving into the play-by-play chair, I am truly a lucky man. But as they say, “all good things must come to an end.” It is time for me to spend more time with my family so the upcoming Blue Jackets season will be my last in the broadcast booth.
Through all my years in the NHL – 10 seasons with the Washington Capitals, 11 years with the Florida Panthers (including one year in which I called games for BOTH teams) and two decades with the Columbus Blue Jackets – I can easily say the highlight of my time in this wonderful league is my 20 years as a Blue Jacket!
The reasons are many: the wonderful ownership group led by the McConnell family, all my Blue Jackets teammates that I’ve had the honor of working with over the years, my Bally Sports family and last, but certainly not least, the great Jackets fans known as “The Fifth Line.”
Rimer has been the voice of the Blue Jackets on Bally Sports Ohio (and Fox Sports Ohio prior to the rebrand) since the 2004-05 season and has worked with analyst Jody Shelley since the 2014-15 season.
In addition to his work in Columbus, Rimer has served as the play-by-play voice for the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers.
The Blue Jackets are now in a position they haven’t been in many years – searching for a new television play-by-play announcer. The team also may have to contend with fallout from the ongoing Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy proceedings. While the team has not been reported to be on the chopping block, a pair of other Ohio teams (the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians) were throughout the 2023 MLB season.
About Joe Lucia
I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.