For most Dallas Stars fans, their memories of the team since they moved here were narrated by the dynamic duo of Ralph Strangis and Daryl “Razor” Reaugh. After Strangis left in 2015 to pursue other opportunities, Stars fans were blessed to have Dave “The Voice” Strader join Razor in the booth.
Sadly, that experience would not last nearly long enough, as the long-time broadcaster was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer of the bile duct. When he was undergoing treatment, ex-Stars player Craig Ludwig filled in on the color analysis alongside Razor’s play-by-play. After Strader passed away right before the start of this past season, the Stars kept Ludwig on the broadcast.
The team announced today that Ludwig will not return next season, however. They’ll be looking for a new color analyst to pair with Razor.
There are a few options in-house if the Stars don’t want to look beyond the current organization to fill this position. Owen Newkirk was the director of broadcasting for the team’s AHL affiliate Texas Stars prior to moving to Dallas prior to the 2014-2015 season. He’s been part of the radio broadcast for several years now and this could be a natural next step for him.
If old players are what the team is looking for, someone like Vernon Fiddler, who has done some intermission reports with the broadcast crew this season, could be an interesting choice. He’s actually fairly dynamic in front of the camera and his analysis has added dimension to the play.
Of course, old alum Strangis has indicated recently on social media that he’s got the itch to get back into hockey broadcasting, so maybe there is a reunion possibility there. He’s called some of Dallas’ biggest moments, including the Stanley Cup win and Jamie Benn’s Art Ross win — could he be part of the next big moment in Stars history? My gut says that it is not likely we see Strangis back in Dallas, but it is fun to dream about as we await John Tavares’ decision.