The Senators will host the Florida Panthers on TSN 5 tonight in their regular season home opener at Canadian Tire Centre.

For all Canadian Tire Senators home broadcasts on TSN 5 this season, Claire Hanna will host from the TSN set, alongside analyst Marc Methot. And joining the play-by-play team in the booth this season is veteran broadcaster Matt Cullen.

Cullen will call his first NHL game on Thursday night and took some time with Sens 360 to discuss his journey that led him to this moment.

What kind of feelings are going through your mind as you get set to call your first NHL game on television tonight?

I’m thrilled honestly. It’s such an honor to be here. I was one of those kids who had a Walkman on under my pillow, listening to hockey games just so I could try and stay up a little bit later. So to be in the broadcast booth for my first NHL game tonight, it’s going to be an unforgettable day. There’s so much excitement here in Ottawa and they’re taking on the reigning Stanley Cup champions too.

You mentioned listening to games as you were falling asleep. Who were your broadcasting idols?

I grew up in North Vancouver, so I listened to a lot of the Canucks broadcasters growing up. Jim Hughson – who was on CKNW in Vancouver – has been a big mentor of mine over the years. I loved listening to Bob Cole too, he was the soundtrack of so many great moments I watched in the NHL. And Doc Emerick was another mentor of mine when I was going through the junior hockey ranks. I loved Doc’s description and precision when calling play-by-play. And of course, Gord Miller is going to be a teammate of mine this year and he’s provided so many great calls over the years.

You had a chance to come and shadow one Senators pre-season game from Canadian Tire Centre. What did that experience do for you?

I’m glad we had a chance to do that. I gave me a chance to get to know the team a little better. I know the building, the sights and sounds a bit now. I know what to look for and who to look for down the bench. There are a bunch of little things – like sightlines and routines – you need to get used to with a new rink. And I could really feel the passion here. As soon as you step off the plane, you can feel the excitement for a new hockey season in Ottawa. And with the pieces the team has added and the core they already have, hopefully they can take another step and this will be the year we get some postseason hockey back in Ottawa.

How did you get your start in broadcasting?

I got my start at St. Francis of Xavier in Nova Scotia. I actually went there as a third-string goaltender, but quickly shifted into the broadcasting side. I didn’t have the chops of someone like Jamie McLennan to be a goalie at a high level. So, I started calling women’s hockey at St. FX and then some men’s games and basketball games too. That’s where I got my first taste of play-by-play and I was hooked. After that I said to myself, ‘How can I do this on a more regular basis?’ I went to broadcasting school and started doing games for the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. Then I got a chance to fill in on an OHL game for the Mississauga Steelheads. And I’ve been involved in their broadcasts since the 2014-2015 season.

You’ve called a ton of junior hockey games and sometimes those can be filled with unique challenges. Did you ever have a night where you thought your broadcast might not make it to air?

In the junior ranks, you get a lot of games where you wonder if you’ll get to air. My closest call came at the Budweiser Gardens in London when I was doing a Mississauga Steelheads game. And we were missing the key cable that connected my headset to the board. Somehow it didn’t get packed and we couldn’t find one anywhere. And then finally at the last second, someone found a cable that could work in the sound booth. The guy came running to me during the national anthem and the board lit up and we made it to air for puck drop. And sometimes in junior hockey, you find yourself calling games in tight spaces. It might be standing room only. Or your laptop might fall off the desk because it’s only the width of half a ruler. But I always say that any day at the rink is a good day. So as long as we’re on the air and having a good time, that’s all that matters.

In addition to calling junior hockey, you’ve also done a lot of work around the Olympic Games. This past summer, you were part of the coverage of the Paris 2024 Games. What was that experience like for you?

This was actually my fifth Olympic Games. I worked my first Olympics with CBC in 2016, but that was a behind-the-scenes role with some social media stuff. My first time on-air was in 2018 in Pyeongchang and I had a chance to call Mikael Kingsbury and his gold medal. Then for Tokyo in 2020, I called Evan Dunfee’s bronze medal for Canada. And then here in Paris 2024, I did a wide range of sports. And that is always great because those athletes wait four years for their time to shine. So those are really big calls and big moments for them and their families.

Who is going to be most proud of you tonight as they watch your NHL debut on television?

My wife has made an enormous sacrifice to allow me to go on the road to call junior hockey games on the weekend when I had a Monday to Friday job. She’s been there since the start of my broadcasting journey, so she’s really excited for tonight. We have two little ones and our daughter is four-and-a-half and just loves hockey, so we think she’ll be excited too. My parents are in Vancouver, but I know they’ll be tuning in. They made so many sacrifices so I could play goalie at 5:45 a.m. on a Thursday morning. So although this isn’t playing in the NHL, this is the next best thing. And I owe them a lot because without them, I’m not here today.