Don 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 retire following the 2025-26 season, his 40th year at the microphone in Rochester.
Stevens will call all 36 home games and select road games this season to close out an illustrious career that spans 58 years in broadcasting.
“There is something uniquely special about the relationship between a team’s broadcaster and its fans,” said Scott Howson, AHL 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.”
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, serving the organization in numerous capacities including public relations director, TV host and radio talk show host. Stevens has been on the call for seven Calder Cup Finals – including the Amerks’ 1987 and 1996 championships.
A native of Wainwright, Alta., Stevens was inducted into the Amerks Hall of Fame in 2011 and is a two-time recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Award for outstanding media contributions to the league. In 2023, the Amerks dedicated the press box at the Blue Cross Arena in his honor.