Lightning name Dave Randorf new play-by-play announcer

Replacing Rick Peckham isn’t something Dave Randorf is interested in doing.

Instead, the veteran play-by-play announcer wants to make his own mark in Tampa Bay.

The Lightning and Fox Sports Sun announced Thursday that Randorf is the new play-by-play voice of the team’s TV broadcasts. He will work with in-game analyst Brian Engblom, Paul Kennedy, Dave Andreychuk, Bobby Taylor and Adam Hall on game nights.

Peckham retired as the Lightning’s play-by-play voice after 24 years following last season.

Randorf, 53, has more than 30 years of broadcasting experience, including the past six years at Canada’s Sportsnet network, the country’s national NHL cable rights holder and a regional rights holder for some teams.

Before Randorf’s time at Sportsnet, he spent 19 years with Canada’s TSN sports network, where he was the voice of the Canadian Football League, the Canadiens (2010-14) and hockey world championships.

“We are excited to add Dave to our broadcast team and organization,” Lightning CEO Steve Griggs said in a statement. “Dave has proven over the years of his broadcasting career to improve the viewing experience of hockey games on television to millions of fans. We are thrilled to have Dave join our Fox Sports Sun broadcast team and continue Rick Peckham’s legacy of exciting our fans with legendary calls of Lightning hockey.”

Randorf called the 2019 Western Conference final between the Blues and Sharks. He also called the 2015 and ’16 All-Star Games and skills competitions.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining this first-class organization,” Randorf said in a statement. “Following in the footsteps of Hall of Fame announcer Rick Peckham is an honor and a responsibility I do not take lightly. I can’t wait for the puck to drop and to begin getting to know Lightning fans throughout the community of Tampa Bay.”

Peckham will receive the Hall of Fame’s Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to hockey broadcasting at the induction ceremony for the 2020 class rescheduled for November from last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Contact Mari Faiello at mfaiello@tampabay.com. Follow @faiello_mari.