Joe Buck Criticizes St. Louis Blues Over John Kelly Departure

Joe Buck Calls Blues’ Decision “Stunning and Disappointing”

Joe Buck has called out the St. Louis Blues after the team parted ways with longtime broadcaster John Kelly, the move left fans and NHL insiders stunned. Appearing recently on 101 ESPN’s morning show in St. Louis, Buck didn’t hold back his disappointment.

“They deserve the criticism. It makes no sense,” Buck said, noting he isn’t privy to internal decisions but felt the move betrayed a strong connection between Kelly and the fanbase.

While Buck made clear his respect for the incoming broadcast team — Chris Kerber and Joey Vitale, who will now simulcast games on both radio and TV beginning in the 2025–26 NHL season — he remained baffled by the Blues’ decision to move on from a figure so rooted in team history.

A Voice That Meant More Than Just Hockey

John Kelly joined the Blues’ television broadcast team in 2005, but his ties to the franchise run far deeper. His father, Dan Kelly, was the Blues’ play-by-play voice for over two decades and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame. In 2006, the team named its broadcast booth in Dan’s honor — a testament to the family’s impact on the organization.

“How can you make this move with a trusted voice and somebody who’s got the legacy there?” Buck asked on air. “He’s been all in. He’s comforting to listen to.”

Buck emphasized that Kelly’s importance extended beyond his lineage, praising his individual talent and deep dedication to the team. The loss, in Buck’s view, felt personal — not just to the Kelly family, but to the Blues community at large.

Shock Among Players and Fans Alike

Buck shared that he first learned about the decision while at the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament in Lake Tahoe, having dinner with Matthew Tkachuk and T.J. Oshie — two NHL stars with strong St. Louis connections.

“They were both shocked, beyond shocked,” Buck recalled. “It’s just stunning and disappointing to me.”

Buck added that as a Blues fan, he prefers local announcers during playoff broadcasts — a sentiment shared by many fans who feel national coverage lacks the local passion and knowledge.

“It felt like you threw a guy out that we all knew,” Buck said. “It doesn’t have anything to do with Dan Kelly. It’s about John Kelly. And that was shocking.”

While Buck acknowledged the team may have internal reasons, he concluded that, to him and many others, the move remains “one that I just don’t understand at all.”

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