ABOUT | ryansmithhockey

I was born about 30 miles north of Philadelphia in the suburb of Doylestown in February of 1991, and ever since I learned how to speak, sports have been at the foreground of my entire life.

Even in their rough years in the mid-1990s, the Philadelphia Phillies were my first sports love, and when I reached the realization that I would never be a star athlete, I knew I had to keep myself involved in sports elsewhere.

Throughout my life, my favorite sport changed hands a lot, from baseball and football to basketball and hockey. However, my love of talking about the game made broadcasting the constant dream.

In 2005, after the NHL lockout, my love for hockey skyrocketed. Since that day, I have had one dream: to put on the headset for an NHL franchise.

I chose to attend Penn State in 2009 because of the numerous opportunities made available to students from day one. I immediately joined ComRadio and by my freshman year's conclusion, I had risen to become a Sports Director. I broadcasted Penn State football, basketball, lacrosse, baseball, and ice hockey. We had a staff of well over 100 members; the directors trained them while overseeing day-to-day operations at the station and maintaining staff schedules.

After graduating from Penn State, from 2014-2016, I held the title of Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations with the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League. In that role, I provided play-by-play coverage of all home and away games, compiled press releases and original content for distribution among Madison media partners, forged working relationships with those media partners to establish the brand's footing in the market, and handled all social media marketing and engagement.

In the summer of 2016, I checked off another goal when I accepted a position with the first-year Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League, who, at the time, were affiliated with the Florida Panthers. In my position as Manager of Media/Community Relations & Broadcasting, I have continued to hone my craft in the realm of play-by-play, but I have broadened my skills and taken on new responsibilities in the areas of website management, content creation, and community relations.

With the support of my colleagues, the Thunderbirds have become an integral pillar in the greater Springfield area, with more than 500 player and mascot appearances during the franchise's first four seasons and recognition at the AHL level in 2017-18 for the Most Unique Community Relations Promotion (more on that here). The next year, we proudly hosted and sold out the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic in Springfield.

The 2021-22 season proved to be the most historic season in Springfield hockey in three decades, as the Thunderbirds made the playoffs and took the fanbase on a wild ride all the way to the Calder Cup Finals. That season proved to be extra special to me on a personal level - in addition to the special nature of that playoff run, I made my NHL debut alongside Blues radio analyst Joe Vitale (bottom photo, far right) on April 12, 2022 in Boston. Blues radio voice Chris Kerber selflessly allowed my childhood dream to come true during a second period that saw St. Louis erase a 2-1 deficit, take a 3-2 lead, and eventually win the contest. My NHL debut can be heard here.

Interested in finding out more about my background, including where I got the inspiration to become a suit aficionado? Contact me!