Bruins

NESN’s Dale Arnold announces retirement after decades on Bruins broadcasts

"I knew the only thing I ever wanted to do was work Boston Bruins games on radio or TV."

By Conor Ryan

April 11, 2023

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After more than two decades of calling Bruins games and conducting studio shows, NESN’s Dale Arnold is hanging up his microphone.

Arnold announced during the Bruins’ final regular-season home game on Tuesday night that he is retiring.

During the first period, the Bruins paid tribute to Arnold with a video — which featured shout-outs from Cam Neely, Patrice Bergeron, Ray Bourque, Don Sweeney, Charlie Jacobs, and Gord Kluzak.

“Man. I played 22 years,” Bourque said. “I don’t know how many years you’ve been doing it but it’s a lot longer than 22. And you’ve done a great job.”

Arnold, who took in the video tribute from the NESN set located within the Garden, was given a stick tap by the Bruins bench and an ovation from the crowd.

Arnold has been a mainstay at NESN for years, serving as a play-by-play voice for Bruins broadcasts from 1995 to 2007 before switching to studio hosting duties.

Arnold began his professional broadcasting career as the radio voice of the AHL’s Maine Mariners in 1979 after graduating from Bowdoin College. He became the radio voice of the New Jersey Devils in 1986 before returning to New England in 1988.

A versatile broadcaster, Arnold is the only person to have called play-by-play for five Boston professional teams (Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, and Revolution). He also called collegiate events like Boston College football and Hockey East competition.

In March 2021, Arnold announced his retirement from WEEI after 30 years with the radio station. He primarily helped host midday programming, joining other WEEI regulars over the years like Eddie Andelman, Bob Neumeier, and Michael Holley. 

Even after stepping away from radio work, Arnold continued in his on-air role with NESN’s pre-game, post-game and intermission Bruins coverage over the past two years.

“I majored in psychology at Bowdoin, because I wanted a backup plan,” Arnold said on the NESN broadcast. “But I knew the only thing I ever wanted to do was work Boston Bruins games on radio or TV. But the chances of a kid from a small town in Maine getting one of those jobs were pretty slim. Guess what? Whatever you want most wants you — and it worked.”