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Jeff Rimer

Rimer began his broadcasting career in Calgary with Cable 10 and CFAC Radio. While at CFAC, he served as the play-by-play man for the Calgary Centennials of the Western Hockey League. After a stint in Lethbridge, Rimer worked for CBC TelevisioninEdmonton under veteran sportscaster Ernie Afaganis.^[2] He then worked for CFCF Radio, where he was the pre- and post-game show host for the Montreal Canadiens.^[4] He was also CBC's gymnastics commentator during the 1976 Summer OlympicsinMontreal.^[4] In 1984 he was involved in a scuffle with Pete Rose over something Rose contended Rimer said about him on his radio program.^[5]

In 1984, Rimer moved to WBAL radio in Baltimore, where he served as sports director and host of Orioles' pre and postgame reports.^[6] In 1990 he became the television play-by-play announcer for the Washington Capitals.^[7] In 1992, Rimer was replaced on the Capitals' cable broadcasts by Kenny Albert, but continued to call the team's games on WDCA-TV.^[8][9] In 1993, Rimer began calling games for the expansion Florida Panthers.^[10] During the 1993–94 season he called 33 games for the Panthers and 20 Capitals road games while still working at WBAL before covering the Panthers full time.^[3][10] He remained with the Panthers until 2004 when former Panther coach and the Columbus Blue Jackets' president and general manager Doug MacLean hired Rimer for the same job in Columbus.^[11] In 2017, he called his 2,000th NHL game.^[4]