AMERKS BROADCASTER DON STEVENS TO RETIRE FOLLOWING 2025-26 SEASON
Hall of Famer set to embark on 40th and final season as legendary Voice of the Amerks
Sep 25, 2025Don Stevens, the longtime Voice of the Rochester Americans and the longest tenured play-by-play broadcaster in the history of the American Hockey League, will return to the Blue Cross Arena press box named in his honor for one final season.
Stevens will retire following the upcoming season, wrapping up a 40-year Hall of Fame career with the Amerks, who will also celebrate their historic 70th anniversary season. Stevens will again call a limited number of games during the 2025-26 campaign, including all 36 home contests, to close out an illustrious career that spans nearly 60 years in sports broadcasting.
“There are so many mixed emotions running through me that I don’t quite know what to think or feel,” said Stevens. “But what I do know, as I approach my 58th year of broadcasting and 40th season in Rochester, is that I am truly humbled and blessed by the immense support I have had and still receive in my career. I plan on spending the upcoming season honoring and thanking all of you for what has been an incredible journey over the years. Here’s to one more year, and, of course, Go Amerks!”
"There is something uniquely special about the relationship between a team's broadcaster and its fans," said Scott Howson, American Hockey League President and Chief Executive Officer. "Don has provided the soundtrack for literally generations of Amerks fans, guiding them through all the indelible moments that have defined the franchise over the last 40 years. We look forward to helping celebrate his career this season."
“No other person in the history of our organization has been more synonymous with Amerks hockey than Don Stevens,” said Amerks Vice President of Business Operations, Chad Buck. “For four decades, Don has narrated some of the most unforgettable moments in team history, which to this day have been immortalized by his unique and distinctive call. It’s only fitting that his final season in Rochester coincides with a milestone season in the history of our franchise for which he’s been a huge part of for nearly 40 years.”
Stevens, who has called more than 3,300 games as the team’s primary play-by-play broadcaster, has witnessed some of the most memorable moments in the near 70-year history of the franchise. He also remains the longest tenured broadcaster in the American Hockey League after joining Rochester prior to the 1986-87 campaign.
Stevens has seen many changes in the AHL since he first put on the headphones and called his first Amerks game at the old Rochester War Memorial. Known as the “Dean of AHL Broadcasters,” Stevens has witnessed the expansion of the league to an all-time high 32 teams and the explosion of media coverage of the AHL.
The Amerks’ broadcaster has served the team in numerous capacities during his tenure, including public relations director, TV host, radio talk show host, and TV and radio play-by-play broadcaster. In addition, Stevens founded the AHL Broadcasters/Writers Association and served as its president.
The “Voice of the Amerks” calls games on the radio home of the Amerks, 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester, in addition to calling select home games live on CW Rochester. Stevens also had the distinction of covering the Amerks on multiple occasions over the NHL Network and SiriusXM Satellite Radio, introducing Amerks hockey on both a national and international level.
This past season, Stevens delivered the call for what would be the Amerks’ 2,500th regular-season franchise win following a 6-3 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Nov. 8, 2024, making Rochester just the second team in league history other than the Hershey Bears to reach the mark. In 2009-10, Stevens called Rochester’s historic 2,000th franchise win as the Amerks joined an elite club, becoming just the second team in the American Hockey League and eighth overall in North American hockey history to achieve the feat. He was also behind the microphone for five of the 20 goals scored by an AHL goaltender, most recently in 2010-11 when Binghamton’s Chris Holt fired in an empty-netter against Rochester.
Stevens’ most memorable season with the organization came during the 2010-11 campaign, his 25th with the red, white and blue. Stevens’ years of dedicated service to the club was acknowledged with his enshrinement in the team’s prestigious Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2011. As the 50th member of the Hall, and just the second broadcaster inducted, Stevens joined an elite group of individuals whose tireless contributions and commitment to the franchise matches those of the original 1956 Rochester Americans.
From 1996-2009, Stevens maintained a dual role while also serving as the broadcaster for the Rochester Rhinos (United Soccer League). With the Rhinos, Stevens was part of back-to-back regular season championships (1998-99), three A-League championships in four years (1998, 1999 and 2001), the 1999 U.S. Open Cup and 14 consecutive playoff runs during his tenure. In 1998, he even covered an Amerks hockey game and the Rhinos’ championship game on the same day. Stevens was inducted into the Rhinos Hall of Fame on Sept. 24, 2016 during halftime of the club's final regular-season home matchup, becoming the first broadcaster in Rhinos team history to earn the honors.
Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards for his work on radio and television. In 1993-94, he won the AHL’s prestigious James H. Ellery Award, given annually to the person that has made outstanding contributions to coverage and promotion of the AHL for his work on the Amerks Radio Network. Stevens has also won a national ACE Award for Cable Excellence as the host of the weekly television show, “Amerks Report,” and received the Rochester Press-Radio Club’s Louis MacMillan Award for sportscasting excellence.
In 2003, he was inducted into the Frontier Field Walk of Fame in the media category. The Walk of Fame is located inside Frontier Field and features the names of fans, players, contributors and media throughout Rochester’s sports history. Following the 2012-13 season, Stevens’ 27th as the Amerks play-by-play man, he was again awarded with the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for excellence in radio coverage for the second time in his career.
Stevens is a three-time winner of the Rochester Press-Radio Club’s Gary Smith and George Beahon Sports Media Excellence Award, the most recent of which came in May 2024. He was honored as the 2020 Sportsperson of the Year by the Rochester St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, and in February 2023, the Amerks dedicated the press box at The Blue Cross Arena in his honor in recognition of nearly 40 years of service to the organization.
With the Amerks, Stevens has broadcast seven Calder Cup Finals and the Spengler Cup in Switzerland, winning a pair of Calder Cup championships in the process. Stevens has taken the AHL to its highest level during the course of his career and has shown his true professionalism by working with younger broadcasters throughout the league. Each season he has made it a point to “promote the Rochester Americans and the American Hockey League,” from his seat in the radio booth to the podium at numerous charity events.
During his career, broadcasting has taken the Wainwright, Alberta, native all over the United States, Canada, Europe and Puerto Rico. He has worked in such markets as Seattle, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Phoenix and Rochester.
Rochester opens its historic 70th American Hockey League season at home on Friday, Oct. 10 when they host the Toronto Marlies at The Blue Cross Arena. Season Ticket Memberships for the 2025-26 season, which start as low as $19 per game, are on sale now and come with several Members-only perks and benefits. Full and Half Season Membership options are also available. For more information on Amerks Season Tickets or to sign up today, call 585-454-5335 or visit www.amerks.com/memberships.