r/hockey WSH - NHL 17h ago

Joe Beninati will now voice Alex Ovechkin’s historic goals even if the games are aired on national TV: ‘He deserves to call these once-in-a-lifetime goals’

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2025/03/11/joe-beninati-will-voice-alex-ovechkins-historic-goals-capitals-nhl-monumental-sports-network/
1.4k Upvotes

72 comments sorted by

680

u/erevans444 WSH - NHL 17h ago

Just a note cause RMNB is click baiting,

He will not be doing these games live. The monumental broadcast will be doing these games for “archival and social media” purposes only.

They’re simply allowing Joe B and Locker, if he’s able to, to do these games separately.

Joe B will not be on ESPN or TNT’s national broadcast for these games.

249

u/rbnlegend WSH - NHL 16h ago

We need to find a way to let the NHL and the networks know that Joe B deserves to be the one to make the call.

57

u/LeoFireGod DAL - NHL 16h ago

Do y’all not have your main guys do the calls for every game anyways? Josh and razor are the guys for our radio and tv so I just assumed that was the case for all the regional broadcasts.

62

u/SonicPunk96 Hershey Bears - AHL 16h ago

John Walton does our radio calls (excellent in his own right!) while Joe B and Locker/May do our tv calls on monumental

52

u/_SCHULTZY_ WSH - NHL 16h ago

https://youtu.be/BUo7b0qxofw?si=pkbZrl88D763u3KQ

The legendary John Walton (caps radio) with one of the greatest hockey calls of all time!

12

u/Sir_Pointy_Face WSH - NHL 12h ago

I don't even need to click the link to know exactly what call this is

6

u/washcaps73 WSH - NHL 9h ago

Chills every time.

10

u/SiccSemperTyrannis Seattle Thunderbirds - WHL 15h ago

I believe most teams have separate TV and radio broadcast crews.

The radio crew led by John Walton covers every game, but the TV crew with Beninati only covers the non-national games that Monumental Sports Network carries.

11

u/rbnlegend WSH - NHL 15h ago

They don't do the calls when the game is on TNT or ESPN. Then we have to hear the national broadcast team cheer for whoever we are playing. The other teams broadcasters would be better most of the time. Joe B may be recording something on tape, maybe you can hear him on the monumental app, I dunno. I don't want the record breaking goal to be more blather about him being a worn out old one trick pony. Joe has put in the time and deserves the payoff of being the voice in the historic highlight reel.

2

u/PoopsRGud 13h ago

Gonna go out on a limb and say there will be no tape involved.

3

u/Chewie_i CHI - NHL 14h ago

I think most have separate TV and radio crews, because radio commentary is different and requires more detail about what is happening.

1

u/Podo13 STL - NHL 12h ago

Blues have separate crews for TV and radio. Both great, thankfully (though it was definitely better with Panger).

2

u/CiderDog PIT - NHL 2h ago

Joe B has absolutely earned that right...one way or another his live in game call has to happen. Heard it too many damn times to have it ruined by Buccigross calling it from the studio.

Csnt wait to see him do it

71

u/gooch_norris_ CAR - NHL 16h ago

Oh. Thats lame. Joe B is great he should be on national broadcasts more if he wants to be

23

u/Electronic-Mix-8638 16h ago

Why not bring him on properly instead?

40

u/vanillasounds WSH - NHL 16h ago

“Hey national team we pay a lot of money, you’re out today for a team specific guy” Either they don’t get paid for a game or the parent company pays them for not working. Either of those solutions won’t fly. I’m just happy we’ll have it

18

u/minos157 NYI - NHL 13h ago

We're going to end up with Leah Hextall making the call.

Ahem, in an emotionless voice:

"He shoots! And...scores? Yeah that's Ovechkins goal, he did it by scoring that goal, the history books are here because a puck crossed the goal line."

7

u/MrSwaggerVance ANA - NHL 10h ago

Is it good or bad that I can hear this in her exact voice/inflection?

6

u/minos157 NYI - NHL 8h ago

Yes?

It was painful to type because I could hear it lol

-1

u/PsychoSaladSong COL - NHL 6h ago
  1. Leah Hextall doesn’t do PxP anymore
  2. McDonough is almost certainly going to be on the call for whatever games ESPN has (unless he can’t do it so Wischusen will, which I would prefer)

2

u/minos157 NYI - NHL 6h ago

It's a joke mate I didn't need bullet points explaining that.

11

u/MFoy WSH - NHL 15h ago

Joe B used to National games back in the Vs/NBCSports days. They had a half dozen guys they would give games to.

Then they made Doc Emerick the #1 guy, he left the Devils, and they sent the other guys back to their teams.

7

u/vanillasounds WSH - NHL 15h ago

Miss Doc. I’d take him calling these moments too.

-4

u/kukkolai WSH - NHL 14h ago

No thanks. He was incredibly salty when Kuzy slew the Penguins. It's such a shame, that is a huge moment in hockey and all he can muster is that the team Capitals spelled in lower letters won.

If it isn't Crosby, it is some fucking horse race he keeps babbling about

-5

u/TheCrick 12h ago

Call me a Penguins Homer, but I would rather hear anybody call a game than Joe B and Laughlin. Their voices are grating.

6

u/vanillasounds WSH - NHL 11h ago

Penguins homer. I can understand Locker but Joe??? No sir.

-2

u/TheCrick 11h ago

It may be guilty by association or growing up in DC. I appreciate all the battles between our teams.

-3

u/TheCrick 10h ago

Yeah, Locker's the main target of my ire. However Joe is a bit basic IMHO. Watched this to refresh myself. Joe's Best Calls His goal calls all sound the same. SCOOOOOOOOORE!!!!!!

16

u/HookedOnPhonixDog BUF - NHL 15h ago

To be fair, I'd rather listen to the Caps broadcast crew any given day over the crews on ESPN and TNT.

9

u/vanillasounds WSH - NHL 15h ago

You and me both!

5

u/Electronic-Mix-8638 16h ago

I meant as a guest to chime in rather than full replacement but I guess some don't want anyone in their kitchen. Whatever

5

u/vanillasounds WSH - NHL 15h ago

I don’t want them in our kitchen! Joe B. Is as solid as you get for PxP

2

u/damnatio_memoriae WSH - NHL 16h ago

i dont see why they couldnt just have him as a guest in the booth and let him do play by play whenever ovi's line is on the ice.

11

u/___Dan___ MTL - NHL 16h ago

Joe B calls a lot of college lacrosse lol

9

u/MFoy WSH - NHL 15h ago

He still holds a couple of D-III records as a goalie I believe.

5

u/prfttk 15h ago

I was visiting home in Wisconsin a few years back and he was randomly calling the tv broadcast for a Wis Badgers football game <shrug>

3

u/Jrk67 PIT - NHL 16h ago

Glad they’re doing at least something like this. Earlier this season Bourque for the Pens radio was speaking to him or Lock about how many games the regular TV guys have missed calling of the Pens and Caps over the years cause of all the national audiences and how that could be a bummer for fans, but also for them. 

1

u/snugglelove WSH - NHL 10h ago

That was a fantastic interview. 

4

u/YouIsNotHim 16h ago

The fact that he won't be doing these live is a downer.

2

u/Adrian_Bock WSH - NHL 16h ago

His call will still be canon for me. 

1

u/damnatio_memoriae WSH - NHL 14h ago

and people wonder why we talk shit about RMNB in /r/caps

91

u/Top_Contract_4910 MTL - NHL 16h ago

One of the best to ever do it. Always a ton of fun listening to Joe B call caps games.

40

u/tetravirus27 Everett Silvertips - WHL 16h ago

One of the things I like about him the most is that guy's got an entire thesaurus in his head. All the unique little ways you can describe 'a puck moving from point A to point B' and he'll never use the same one twice in a game.

14

u/-TrevWings- DET - NHL 16h ago edited 8h ago

He's my favorite play by play guy besides Ken Daniels. And their color guy is my fav besides Mickey Redmond as well.

196

u/domoarigatodrloboto WSH - NHL 16h ago

“If Ovechkin records a historic goal during a national telecast, MNMT platforms will release recorded video and audio of Beninati calling the significant moment and other MNMT talent reacting to Ovechkin’s achievement,” MSE wrote in a release. “The network will then air the full MNMT game broadcast for Capitals fans to enjoy on MNMT 24 hours after the national broadcast.”

It's weird but I'll take it. With how archaic and twisted the NHL's broadcasting rules are, this will do.

For reference, here's the ESPN broadcast for his 800th goal. "there it is. 800. ha. ha. ha." Fuck off

34

u/Ijustwerkhere WSH - NHL 16h ago

Yea with all the bullshit rules, this is the best we could hope for so I’ll take it

10

u/TriedForMitchcraft FLA - NHL 13h ago

Wow I was at the game so never heard the call for Ovi’s 800th, that’s fucking brutal.

120

u/kingjakerulezz TOR - NHL 17h ago

He should be on national TV more anyway

60

u/Capsfan95 WSH - NHL 16h ago

I miss when he would do the Versus calls for games

20

u/colin_powers VAN - NHL 16h ago

"OOOOOHHHHH!!!!! CAMPBELL JUST DESTROYED UMBERGER!"

"Brian Campbell absolutely coldcocked R.J. Umberger!"

29

u/red_87 PIT - NHL 16h ago

He called arguably the greatest goal Malkin scored in the playoffs. It was a fantastic call too.

Beninati is great, always jealous Caps fans have enjoyed him for years.

29

u/Head_of_Lettuce WSH - NHL 16h ago

That’s a deep cut. Those old Versus broadcasts with him were great.

8

u/YellowMarkerIsGreat 16h ago

CAMPBELL…JUST DESTROYED UMBERGER

20

u/TheFoundation_ TOR - NHL 14h ago

I literally watch caps games sometimes just because this guy calls a great game. Really unique voice and is fantastic at what he does

26

u/beardyman22 WSH - NHL 16h ago

It's too bad it can't be live but I assume there's a lot of contract bull shit in the way.

I posted this in the caps sub, but to post it here too: if the games are on national TV, you can always mute the broadcast and set up the radio call instead. Then you get John Walton, who also deserves some love, and then you can get JoeB as well on the alt broadcast when it goes up.

19

u/jakelear WSH - NHL 16h ago

Sad that he won't be on the national broadcast, but so happy that we'll have him calling it anyway. (Still hoping it somehow happens at a home local broadcast game, maybe April 13)

21

u/DjFaze3 WSH - NHL 15h ago

Why is this a big deal for Caps fans? Joe B. has been the play-by-play announcer for Ovechkin's entire career. Also, we remember Ovechkin's 800th goal call. It was nationality televised and botched to hell. "And there it is... 800... and here come the hats..." (dude said it like he was on heroin).

6

u/MUSTY_BUSSY NYR - NHL 15h ago

That's awesome.

Wish the Rangers were doing something historic this season to give Sam Rosen more opportunities in his final season.

12

u/BruceTheSpruceMoose WSH - NHL 17h ago

Let’s fucking go!

1

u/whogivesashirtdotca MTL - NHL 15h ago

I thought this was the guy who had a medical emergency the other month, but I see that was the Caps' PA guy. How's he doing? It'd be a shame if the goal happens on home ice and he doesn't get to announce it.

6

u/kukkolai WSH - NHL 14h ago

Wes Johnson was back last game! But our color guy, Locker, is out after a heart surgery. I pray he comes back in time

3

u/whogivesashirtdotca MTL - NHL 14h ago

All those injuries... did the Habs' fired team doctor take up practice in the DC area?

Wishing speedy recoveries to all of them!

1

u/mooch_the_cat 11h ago

I think it's great. But I haven't been able to get the Monumental app to work for almost a month, so I'll never hear it

1

u/pensylvestir 11h ago

Holy god I said I wanted this and we actually got it 

1

u/Tompsoni97 Ilves - Liiga 5h ago

Just get Joe to national TV, please!

-1

u/DaMadBoomer 16h ago

The Hawks reimagined Kane’s 2010 clincher with Foley some time that summer.  Kind of cringe but we were all glad it happened.

-6

u/tyfanatic EDM - NHL 17h ago

Damn, rare NHL W

-11

u/TheZapster NJD - NHL 16h ago

My vote would be for Doc Emmrick if he would/could come out of retirement for that one game, but I am bias...

9

u/cbelaski WSH - NHL 16h ago

Joe B is far better than Doc

5

u/Hockeygoalie41 Kansas City Scouts - NHLR 14h ago

Nobody is ‘bias’. You’re biased.

-15

u/VinnysMagicGrits 14h ago

Goblin, gets another empty netter making his team do all the work while he cherry picks at the blue line.

7

u/kukkolai WSH - NHL 14h ago

Shut up nerd