Foster Hewitt Memorial Award


The Foster Hewitt Memorial Award is an annual accolade honoring ice hockey broadcasters in North America. It was named for the Canadian hockey radio broadcaster and newspaper journalist Foster Hewitt, and it has been presented every year at a media luncheon ceremony that occurs late in the year at the Hockey Hall of Fame in BCE Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada since 1984. The winner is chosen by a committee of members composed of radio and television figures that make up the NHL Broadcasters' Association. It is given "to recognize distinguished members of the radio and television industry who made outstanding contributions to their profession and the game during their career in hockey broadcasting." Each recipient receives a glass plaque, which is put on display in the Hall of Fame's media section. The ceremony associated with the award is staged separately to the induction of players into the Hockey Hall of Fame because media honorees are not considered full inductees.
The first four winners were Fred Cusick, Foster Hewitt, Danny Gallivan and René Lecavalier in 1984. The award was given out twice in two further consecutive years to both Budd Lynch and Doug Smith in 1985 and Wes McKnight and Lloyd Pettit the following year. It has presented posthumously on four occasions, to Smith in 1985, McKnight the following year, Dan Kelly in 1989 and Bill Hewitt in 2007. Dave Strader was named the recipient in April 2017 but he died of a rare form of bile duct cancer called cholangiocarcinoma on October 1, 2017 before the ceremony to commemorate his career that was held the following month. His three children accepted the award on his behalf. It has been presented to broadcasters who have been affiliated with the CBC Television sports program Hockey Night in Canada seven times, followed by the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs on six occasions.

Inductees

YearImageRecipientAffiliation
1984—Boston
1984Toronto
1984—Montreal
1984Montreal
1985—Detroit
1985—Montreal
1986—Toronto
1986—Chicago
1987—Boston
1988—Montreal
1989—St. Louis, CBS, Hockey Night in Canada
1990—Atlanta, New York Islanders, Los Angeles
1991—Detroit
1992Vancouver, Hockey Night in Canada
1993—Minnesota
1994—Buffalo
1995—Hockey Night in Canada
1996Hockey Night in Canada
1997—Philadelphia
1998Hockey Night in Canada, TSN
1999—Montreal
2000Los Angeles
2001Pittsburgh
2002Montreal
2003Edmonton
2004Hartford/Carolina
2005—New York Rangers
2006—Calgary
2007—Toronto
2008Philadelphia, New Jersey, ESPN/ABC, Fox, NBC/NBCSN, Versus
2009—New York Rangers, Hockey Night in Canada, ESPN/ABC, Fox, MSG Network, NBC
2010—Washington
2011—Detroit
2012—Buffalo
2013—Buffalo, Hockey Night in Canada, Toronto
2014—Chicago
2015—Los Angeles
2016—New York Rangers, Fox, ESPN
2017—Detroit, Florida, Phoenix, Dallas, ESPN/ABC, NHL International, NBC/NBCSN
2018Toronto
2019—Vancouver, Toronto, Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet, TSN
2020—Hartford, Tampa Bay
2022—Philadelphia, ESPN/ABC, NBC
2023—San Jose
2024—Montreal, RDS
2025—Hartford, Dallas