Leah Hextall is a Canadian sports journalist and ice hockey play-by-play announcer. She became the first woman to call play-by-play for a nationally televised NHL game when she joined Sportsnet’s first all-female broadcast team in March 2020.
During the 2019 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championships, Hextall became the first woman to call an NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship game for ESPN.
In 2003, Hextall graduated from the Columbia Academy of Radio, Television, and Recording Arts in Vancouver with a diploma in radio and television broadcasting.
She worked for CTV Winnipeg from 2005 to 2012, and then for the New England Sports Network (NESN) from 2012 to 2014. In 2014, she began working for Sportsnet as a studio host for regional Calgary Flames hockey broadcasts.
Age and Parents
Leah Hextall was born in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada on June 10, 1980. It was a Christian family with athletic roots. Her father is Randy Hextall, and her mother is Elizabeth Hextall. She also has an older sister.
Bryan Hextall Sr, Leah Hextall’s grandfather, played in the National Hockey League for 11 seasons and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969. Bryan Jr., her uncle, was a centerman and forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins for ten seasons.
Professional Career
She became interested in improving her skill set after being let go in 2016 as part of a larger organizational restructuring at Sportsnet, and she became committed to pursuing play-by-play announcing after noticing the lack of women in ice hockey play-by-play.
Encouraged by legendary NHL broadcaster Mike “Doc” Emrick and Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Hockey Night is Canada’s first female color commentator.
She began honing her announcing skills with both of whom she had previously worked with in previous hosting positions. She also stated that she felt unwelcome in the NHL Broadcast Booth during her interviews.
She made her broadcast debut as a play-by-play announcer for four Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) games in January 2018.
She returned to the CWHL in January 2019, using the non-standard term “defense woman” to refer to the defensive players. She finished her studies at a prestigious university.
Relationship Status
Ron Hextall is not the husband of Leah Hextall. He happens to be her cousin. Ronald Jeffrey Hextall (born May 3, 1964) is a Canadian business executive and former professional ice hockey goaltender.
He was most recently the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hextall had a 13-year career with the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, and New York Islanders.
Net Worth
Leah Hextall is a wealthy and well-known TV journalist and model. According to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, Leah Hextall’s net worth is around $600,000 as of 2023.
Her primary source of income is her extremely successful journaling and modeling career, as well as her numerous wealthy brand advertisements and brand deals.
The vast majority of her assets are unknown to the general public. She has made the decision to keep the information private. If new information becomes available, we will update this post.
Leah frequently contributes money from her fortune to charitable causes and to the creation of a more equitable society free of racial discrimination. She owns an expensive car that she keeps to herself.
Social Media
Yes, Leah Hextall is active on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. She also uses Facebook and other social media platforms. She uses these platforms to share beautiful selfies and promote her latest works and various brands.
She also expresses her political views and advocates for racial equality. She can be found on Instagram under the handle @leahhextall, where she currently has 7,722 followers.