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‘I’m slowing down’: NESN’s Jack Edwards addresses speech issues

BOSTON — Jack Edwards, who has been calling Boston Bruins games on NESN since 2005, opened up about his slower and sometimes slurred speech in a recent interview.

“The game is speeding up all the time. And I’m slowing down all the time,” the 66-year-old Edwards told The Boston Globe.

Fans of Bruins hockey have noticed that Edwards has sounded different in recent seasons, particularly when it comes to his enunciation. But Boston’s play-by-play voice says he’s fine from a medical standpoint and is hopeful his situation will improve with time.

“I’m treating it like an in-season injury, something that’s going to get better,” Edwards told the Globe’s Chad Finn.

Edwards confirmed in the interview that testing at Massachusetts General Hospital showed he doesn’t have cancer or dementia and that he never suffered a stroke.

“The images of my brain literally reveal nothing,” Edwards explained, noting that he’s in “robust” health.

Edwards also revealed that he’s been undergoing “exhaustive and exhausting” speech therapy on non-game days.

Edwards said that he’ll “say goodbye” if it comes to the point where he or NESN decides the issue is “hurting the product.”

Edwards hadn’t publicly discussed the changes he’s been dealing with until now.

Hockey is widely regarded as one of the most difficult sports to call due to the rapid pace of play.

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