Broadcasters named for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic

The ECHL on Thursday announced the broadcasters for the 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by ProMedica, to be hosted by the Toledo Walleye on Monday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. ET at the Huntington Center and telecast live in the United States on NHL Network.

Matt Melzak of the Toledo Walleye and Alex Reed of the Norfolk Admirals will serve as the television broadcasters along with former New York Rangers General Manager and ECHL team owner Neil Smith, who will serve as the color commentator. Local channel listings are available at NHLNetwork.com.

For the second consecutive year, the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic will feature a 3-on-3 tournament with four teams competing for the top spot. New in 2019, the host team will make up two of the four teams and face-off against the other two teams made up of All-Star players from the Eastern and Western Conference. These four teams will compete in a 3-on-3 tournament with rally scoring in order to crown a winner. The 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Skills Competition will take place in between rounds of the tournament, highlighting the talents of the ECHL Players, and showcasing the future of hockey as they develop in the League.

Melzak has been “The Voice of the Walleye” since the team’s inaugural 2009-10 season. He serves as the lead television and radio announcer for all home games and is the primary radio announcer while the team is on the road. Melzak was the Director of Communications and the voice of the Toledo Storm from 2003-07, and previously was selected for ECHL All-Star Game broadcasts in 2006 and 2017. The Toledo native reached a career milestone during the 2017-18 season when he called his 1,000th ECHL game. He has also been a part of the broadcast team for the International League’s Toledo Mud Hens since 2010. Melzak graduated from Toledo St. Francis High School in 1994 and the University of Toledo in 1999.

Reed returned to the Admirals organization this season after spending six seasons as the Public/Community Relations Manager and Broadcaster for the Florida Everblades. He has 17 years of broadcasting experience, while working the past 11 seasons in hockey, serving in broadcasting and media relations capacities with the Lewiston MAINEiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Wheeling Nailers and a communications role with the Admirals during the 2013-14 season. Reed graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Relations at Marshall University in 2007. While at Marshall he served as station manager of WMUL-FM and was twice named Broadcaster of the Year by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association.

A longtime NHL executive, Smith was the general manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers. The Rangers' championship was their first in 54 years, led by captain Mark Messier, who Smith acquired in 1991 from the Edmonton Oilers. In addition, he has previously served as an analyst on NHL Network, and most recently was as a hockey analyst for Sportsnet. Smith also has had extensive involvement with the ECHL, serving as owner and governor of the Johnstown Chiefs and Greenville Road Warriors for nine seasons.

The 12th class of the ECHL Hall of Fame will be officially inducted at a luncheon, presented by BFL CANADA and Sutton Special Risk, on Sunday, January 20 at 1 p.m. at the SeaGate Center, in conjunction with the Toledo Hockey Hall of Fame, presented by Cooper Tire.

Anchored by the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by ProMedica, there will be multiple activities that showcase the Toledo community including the All-Star Fanfest in Hensville Park and All-Star Winter Brewfest at Fifth Third Field. The Hall of Fame luncheon will be followed by a regular-season matchup between the Walleye and the Fort Wayne Komets at the Huntington Center. 

CCM/ECHL All-Star packages and individual tickets can be purchased by calling (419) 725-9255 or by visiting www.toledowalleye.com/allstar.

About the ECHLBegan in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 27 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 31st season in 2018-19. There have been 651 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after playing in the ECHL, including 10 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2018-19 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 31 NHL teams in 2018-19, marking the 22nd consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.