It started with 15 Monsters players getting called up to the Colorado Avalanche during the season. Then, head coach Joe Sacco and assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre continued the trend this summer, assuming the head and assistant coaching positions, respectively, with the Avs in June. Now, Monsters play-by-play announcer John Michael has gotten his own call up to the NHL. FOX Sports Ohio announced today that Michael will join their Columbus Blue Jackets broadcast team as an in-game reporter and postgame show host.

Michael has called every Monsters game in the franchise’s two-year history. Each season he provided play-by-play of all 80 games for the team’s flagship radio station, ESPN 850 WKNR, as well as anchoring the 20 games televised on FOX Sports Ohio and MY43 WUAB.

“We are extremely happy for and proud of John as he gets ‘called up’ to the NHL,” said Monsters COO Randy Domain. “He established himself as a big-league talent and made the Monsters broadcasts among the best in hockey. John is just another example of how the Monsters organization has quickly established itself as a breeding ground for top-level professionals.”

The Monsters will conduct a worldwide search for Michael’s replacement, who will call all radio and television games in the upcoming 2009-10 season, which begins at home on October 10th.

In his new role with FOX Sports Ohio, Michael will also host Blue Jackets Live, the network’s postgame show that airs live from Nationwide Arena, for all home games. FSO will also broadcast the postgame show for all Blue Jackets road games from their studio, with host Ray Crawford, and Michael on the road reporting from the site of each game.

2009-10 Monsters season tickets, as well as group tickets, starting at just $10 per seat per game, are on sale now by visiting LakeErieMonsters.com or by calling (216) 420-0000.