(Submitted photo/Mat Barrett)

By Ben Tompkins

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Former Mustangs play-by-play man returns home

Jul 4, 2024 | 5:00 PM

A long-time Melfort Mustangs play-by-play announcer will now get to call hockey games in his hometown.

Mat Barrett, who was on the North East airwaves for just over six seasons (a full six with the Mustangs and a playoff run with the Nipawin Hawks) is the new voice of the Edmonton Oil Kings.

“It’s not something I ever thought would happen, but it’s pretty special to think about now and it’s not something that I take for granted. As a young kid watching hockey games and listening to the guys call the games, I never thought that I would be one of them and now I’m going to be doing it for my hometown club. I don’t think many guys get to do that, so it’s pretty cool that I’m one of them,” he told northeastNOW.

After spending six years in Melfort, including two as the club’s director of marketing and business, Barrett spent this past year with the Swift Current Broncos.

A graduate of Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alta. Barrett credits where he is now to his time spent in Saskatchewan.

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“I had roughly 25 per cent of my life out there, moving at the age of 19 was pretty wild as I tried to figure out this thing called life. I loved it out there, being in small-town Saskatchewan was some of the best years of my life. The people are amazing and it’s a place that I’m going to hold near and dear to my heart and come back to visit as much as possible,” he added.

“When I started out there, I was pretty raw as a broadcaster, but as you listen back on yourself and talk to people, you just grow so much. I can’t thank the radio station enough for sticking with me, it’s pretty awesome to look back and see how far I’ve come.”

Barrett began his position as the Oil King’s manager of hockey broadcasting and media on Tuesday.

He won’t call his first game until the WHL season begins when the Oil Kings visit the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Sept. 20, before they return home on Sept. 28 to host the Calgary Hitmen.

“The first game in Rogers Place against Calgary, it doesn’t get much better than that,” concluded Barrett.

“I’ve called a game there before, but being the home guy will be different, especially in a battle of Alberta type rivalry.”

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

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