It is the end of an era. After over four decades of service as the Kings’ broadcaster, Nick Nickson has finally called time on his illustrious career. The 71-year-old announced that the 2024-25 season would be the final one for him behind the mic. He has become a famous voice for the LA Kings and would be highly missed by the fans during the team’s matches. Nonetheless, he has been at the top of the game for years now and now feels that he should move away from the sport. But why?
Despite being 71, Nickson shares the same enthusiasm and passion for hockey broadcasting as he did decades back when he began his career. Additionally, after he revealed his retirement plans, people also questioned why he wanted to end his career despite being this good. Answering these questions, Nickson revealed the actual reason behind his retirement.
During an interview, he cited, “I’m doing this on my own terms, which I’m grateful for. Some people around the league said, ‘Nick, why? You still sound so good.’ And yeah, I appreciate that.”
Further, Nickson made clear his retirement plans last year after handling both the radio duties as well as simulcasts. “There comes a moment when you get a sense that it is the right time to move on, and I feel that after this season it will be that time,” Nickson said during his retirement revelation.
Meanwhile, the LA Kings would also honor Nickson for his 44 years of service as their broadcaster. A special pre-game ceremony has been organized for later today during the Kings’ game against the Jets. Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time that Nickson contemplated retirement. He was about to retire two years back, but a last-minute change prevented him from doing so.
Nick Nickson’s dual role prevented his retirement in 2023
Back in 2023, the legendary broadcaster was summoned for a meeting with the bigwigs of the Kings. Ahead of that meeting, Nickson felt that he ran a risk of getting fired and that he would not be able to reveal his plans for retirement. To his surprise, the Kings’ board offered him that he simulcast the radio and TV calls.
While that change stopped him from calling it quits in 2023, Nickson accepted the role, saying, “I told the two of them, ‘I’m at the point of my career where I want to do the games. Obviously, I want to do them well. But I want you two guys to be the stars of the show. So Jim, if you think you have something you want to talk about with Daryl, go right ahead.”
At 71, Nickson has cherished almost every memorable event from his illustrious career at the LA Kings. With the memories of Stanley Cup wins and entering the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2009, it has been a truly illustrious career for one of the NHL’s most decorated broadcasters, who is rightly called the “Voice of the Kings.”
The post LA Kings Legend Nick Nickson Shares Real Reason Behind Retirement After 44 Years appeared first on EssentiallySports.
