Paul Steigerwald

Paul Steigerwald (born August 6, 1954) is an American sportscaster, currently working as the Pittsburgh Penguins' color commentator on Root Sports Pittsburgh.

He is widely regarded as one of the NHL's worst TV commentators.

Minor leagues
Steigerwald became a hockey fan growing up in Pittsburgh's South Hills. One of his neighbors was Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jack Riley, who would provide tickets for the poorly attended games. Steigerwald developed an interest in hockey and played at the club level while attending Kent State University. After graduating, Steigerwald would start his broadcast career with the Johnstown Red Wings of the Eastern Hockey League. WJNL, the local radio affiliate of the Johnstown Red Wings paid Steigerwald $110 a week to provide commentary for all 70 games that season. With a 24-45-1 and a failing economy within the Johnstown area, the Johnstown Red Wings ceased operations in 1980. The Eastern Hockey League later folded the following year.

Steigerwald was the radio play-by-play announcer for the Altoona Curve, the AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, from 2005 to 2007.

Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins hired Steigerwald as their marketing director at age 25, and he became their radio color analyst in 1985. FSN Pittsburgh (now Root Sports) hired him on June 29, 2006, as its TV play-by-play announcer after it declined to renew the contract of fellow Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange, who was later hired by the team exclusively as its radio play-by-play announcer. On August 18, 2011, Steigerwald and color analyst Bob Errey were re-signed by Root Sports to multi-year contracts.[3] During a Penguins/Capitals game on March 19, 2013; two fans were spotted with a large picture of Steigerwald on a stick. Bob Errey referred to the prop as "Steigy on a Stick," which became an instant viral hit with Penguins fans.[4]

Cameo
He appeared in the Jean-Claude Van Damme action movie Sudden Death. Playing himself alongside Mike Lange, he provided commentary for a hockey game during which Van Damme's character fought off terrorists; his part climaxed with him exclaiming "holy shit!" when the scoreboard above the arena was damaged.

Personal
He is the brother of fellow Pittsburgh sports media member, John Steigerwald, former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review libertarian columnist Bill Steigerwald, and blues rock guitarist Danny Stag. He is the uncle of VICE columnist and former Reason associate editor Lucy Steigerwald.

He was raised, and continues to live, in the Pittsburgh suburb Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.