John Ahlers is the television play-by-play announcer for the Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

 of the National Hockey League

National Hockey League

The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 on Prime Ticket/Fox Sports West, and KDOC

KDOC-TV

KDOC-TV is an independent television station based in Orange County, California . The station's transmitter is located on Mount Wilson, California...

. He has also served as an announcer for Poker Royale

Poker Royale

Poker Royale was a television series on the Game Show Network , which featured No Limit Texas hold 'em Poker. The first series began on December 7, 2004. The seventh and final series, Poker Royale: Battle of the Ages, began airing on November 4, 2005...

on the Game Show Network

Game Show Network

The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...

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A Michigan State

Michigan State University

Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...

 graduate, Ahlers early broadcasting career consisted of stints with the Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State Spartans

The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...

 and Colorado College Tigers men's hockey teams and professionally with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles

Salt Lake Golden Eagles

The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1969 to 1994.They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International Hockey League from 1984 to 1994...

 and the Louisville IceHawks

Louisville Icehawks

The Louisville Icehawks were a professional ice hockey team competing in the East Coast Hockey League. The team, based in Louisville, Kentucky, played from 1990-1994. Their home venue was Broadbent Arena at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The mascot was called Tommy Hawk, a play on tomahawk, and...

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Ahlers spent five seasons as the television and radio voice of the Detroit Vipers

Detroit Vipers

The Detroit Vipers was an International Hockey League team. The team was founded in 1994, and played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.-Beginning:...

. During that time, he also called the IHL Game of Week and Turner Cup Finals

Turner Cup

The Turner Cup is the championship trophy of the International Hockey League. The Cup is named for Joe Turner, a goaltender from Windsor, Ontario. Turner became professional with the Detroit Red Wings organization, and played one season with the Indianapolis Capitals in the American Hockey League...

 for Fox Sports Net

Fox Sports Net

The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...

. While with the Vipers he received the IHL Broadcaster of the Year award in 1995 and Emmys for Best Sports Broadcasts in 1995 and 1998.

In 1999, Ahlers joined the Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...

 where he served as the radio play-by-play voice until 2002. He also hosted the Lightning's television pre-game show and Lightning Weekly, a magazine format program aired on on the Sunshine Network

Sun Sports

Sun Sports is a Florida sports broadcasting network, with its headquarters in Orlando. Launched in 1988 as Sunshine Network, the station is now affiliated with virtually every cable company throughout the state of Florida and can be picked up by some satellite providers around the United...

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Ahlers joined the Ducks television broadcasts for the 2002–03 NHL season, partnering with longtime Ducks color commentator

Color commentator

A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...

 Brian Hayward

Brian Hayward

Brian George Hayward is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender and current colour analyst of the Anaheim Ducks on Prime Ticket/Fox Sports West and KDOC.-Playing career:...

. In 2003, he won the Emmy for Best Live Sports Broadcast during Game 4 against the Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

 in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Stanley Cup playoffs

The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...

. He also serves as an announcer for occasional NHL games on Versus

Versus (TV channel)

Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...

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In 2005, Ahlers became the permanent host of GSN's Poker Royale. He hosted six tournaments in the series before the show ended in December 2005.