Corey Graham, who has called the University of Alberta Golden Bears games for the past two seasons ever since Bob Stauffer left the U of A to do colour for the Edmonton Oilers, has left the university radio post to become the new play-by-play man for the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Graham will replace A.J. Jakubec, who moved to Ottawa during the off -season.

The busy Graham had already been the host of Oil Kings games on Team 1260 (and working in the U of A's sports information office), but will switch to play by play in time for the Oil Kings season opener at Rexall Place on Friday against the Red Deer Rebels.

"I guess the main thing I will take (from working at the U of A) is just the experience of calling games regularly, the pacing, and what you need to do on the broadcasts," the 30-year-old Victoria native says. "I love listening to some of the great voices call games, and have forever."

Those voices were Jim Robson and Jim Hughson, who are best known for calling NHL games out of Vancouver.

Graham practised everywhere as a kid: he would turn the television volume down and call the plays, and if there was a pickup hockey game down the street, he would describe the action.

He's grateful to Victoria broadcaster Cliff Lequesne, who helped Graham crystallize his ambition to enter broadcasting.

Originally, he planned on attending BCIT in Burnaby. But when that didn't work out, he headed to Edmonton in 2003 to enrol in Radio and Television Arts at NAIT.

Some of his greatest lessons, though, didn't come from the classroom or a lab. Nothing beats being thrown into the fire.

"The first game I ever called was a NAIT/Grant MacEwan playoff game," he recalls. "We showed up at the rink at NAIT, completely under-prepared, and winged it. I learned a lot that day."

Preparation is key, he says now. Like any play-by-play announcer, Graham spends a lot if his time reading rosters, chatting with other people throughout the league and reading blogs.

"Once we get going I think it will become more game specific, but I like to be over-prepared for broadcasts," he says.

Technology has changed everything. Graham thinks Twitter is a useful tool to keep the information flowing.

"I tweet often on the Oil Kings," he says. "I think it is a way for fans to stay in touch with what is going on," says Graham.

But hockey is only part of his enthusiasm.

"I'm looking forward to having the chance to watch some of these kids grow as players and people," he says.

Graham will continue to be busy throughout the hockey season. When he isn't calling an Oil Kings game, he'll be at Team 1260's west-end studios hosting Edmonton Sports Night Live, weeknights at 9 p.m.

The 72-game Western Hockey League awaits with, of course, long hours riding the bus.

But that doesn't faze Graham, who is looking forward to seeing junior hockey arenas across Western Canada and the U.S.

"I like to travel, and don't mind the bus. It is part of why I want to do this, the chance to go to some of these other communities around Western Canada," he says. "Although ask me again in a couple months, I may be sick of the iron lung by then."

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The studio shuffle continues. With Graham getting the Oil Kings gig, someone has to take over calling U of A Golden Bears football and hockey games. Dustin Nielsen is that someone. Nielsen is a co-host of Team 1260's morning show. His last play-by-play role was with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.