5 of the NHL's best color commentators

Hockey is a game rife with color, brought to life by its television and radio analysts.

Evaluating color commentators can be subjective, but for a handful of NHL broadcasters, intelligence and entertainment value are simply undeniable.

Here are five color commentators who bring a unique mix of information and fun to the airwaves:

Daryl Reaugh

The Dallas Stars analyst is widely regarded as the best color man in the league, and it's hard to argue with the sentiment.

Reaugh blends a shameless sense of humor with a solid understanding of the game and has tremendous chemistry with play-by-play voice Ralph Strangis.

Reaugh is relatable because he always seems to be genuinely having a good time working games.

Ray Ferraro

The 18-year NHL veteran has excelled as a broadcaster on the national stage.

Ferraro is the anti-Pierre McGuire. He's not over-the-top and doesn't flaunt an encyclopedic knowledge of players' backgrounds. Instead, he provides matter-of-fact commentary and isn't afraid to criticize a player, coach or executive when they deserve it.

Here's a good example of Ferraro using his between-the-benches position to find a good story and convey it in a succinct, engaging way.

Drew Remenda

The former video coordinator is in his first season working on Edmonton Oilers broadcasts after a pair of runs with the San Jose Sharks and a brief stint with CBC.

Remenda got his start breaking down film for Hockey Canada in the 1980s, and that experience is evident when you watch him call a game. But he can have fun, too.

He isn't the most objective broadcaster and relies on intangibles at times, but the passion can't be disputed. Plus, he makes on-air references to The Simpsons.

Darren Pang

The former goaltender occasionally gets exposed as a bit of a homer on regional broadcasts, but he's one of the most energetic and well-informed voices in the game.

Pang's versatility is his biggest strength. He does color for St. Louis Blues games and also serves as a studio analyst on Sportsnet's national telecasts north of the border.

Alternating back and forth between in-game analysis and league-wide coverage in the studio isn't easy, but he does it with relative ease.

Tripp Tracy

Tracy is another former goaltender who has taken some criticism for letting netminders off the hook, but the Hurricanes color man provides excellent insight on the position and the game as a whole.

Here's an example of Tracy explaining, in layman's terms, how figure skating training can improve a player's hockey sense.

He also has a sense of humor and no shame when it comes to embarrassing himself for the sake of the show.