The NHL on ESPN?

Still sounds weird to say that.

But that’s reality as the Worldwide Leader takes over the league broadcasting rights after NBC decided to step aside after many years.

ESPN’s play-by-play commentary will be led by Sean McDonough. Steve Levy will run the studio team and also call games, while additional play-by-play comes from John Buccigross, Bob Wischusen and Leah Hextall.

That’s part of a release put out by the network today that reveals the full media lineup as:

More from the release:

Showcasing a diverse and unparalleled mix of experience and hockey credentials, ESPN’s NHL analyst team boasts a collective nine Stanley Cups, 10 Olympic medals and three collegiate national championships. Hockey Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Chris Chelios are part of a lineup who have proven their stardom both on the ice and on the air, including Ray Ferraro, Brian Boucher, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Kevin Weekes, Ryan Callahan, A.J. Mleczko, Rick DiPietro, Hilary Knight, as well as former NHL player and coach, and ESPN legend, Barry Melrose.

ESPN newcomer Blake Bolden, along with Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski, will handle reporting duties.

What do you think? Nice to see hockey come back to ESPN, just for the fact that Barry Melrose is useful again. The last 15 years he’s basically been given maybe 45 seconds per show and they pull him out of the broom closet to touch on hockey, very briefly.