Paul Woods, whose voice and insight have been a constant on Detroit Red Wings radio broadcasts for four decades, will retire at the end of the season.

Woods, 70, made the announcement Saturday (Jan. 31), saying the timing is right to step away after four decades behind the microphone and focus more on family. “It’s time. It’s been 40 years,” Woods said, according to MLive. “I have family things I want to do. I’ve got grandkids, and I want to be able to spend more time with them.”

His retirement brings to a close one of the longest tenures by a color analyst in Detroit sports broadcasting history. Woods has been a fixture of Red Wings radio coverage since 1985 and worked his 3,000th game on Oct. 17, 2022 — a milestone few broadcasters in any sport reach.

Woods transitioned directly from the ice to the booth following the end of his playing career, joining Red Wings radio broadcasts alongside play-by-play announcer Bruce Martyn. Since the 1996–97 season, he has been paired with Ken Kal, forming a broadcast team that has guided listeners through championships, rebuilds, and generations of Red Wings hockey.

Before broadcasting, Woods spent seven seasons in the NHL, all with Detroit, from 1977–78 through 1983–84. He recorded 72 goals and 124 assists and was named team captain during the 1978–79 season. He finished his playing career with the AHL’s Adirondack Red Wings in 1984–85.

Reflecting on his path from fan to player to broadcaster, Woods described his career as something he never took for granted. “I’ll never forget as a little boy running to get the (Toronto) Globe & Mail, so I could read the box scores of NHL games,” he said. “That was back when there were only six teams. Then I made it to the NHL. I always felt like I was the lucky one.”

A native of Hespeler, Ontario, Woods said walking away now allows him to leave on his own terms after a career that connected multiple generations of Red Wings fans to the game through radio.

Audacy sports “97.1 The Ticket” WXYT Detroit is the flagship radio station of the Red Wings.