Emily Kaplan, the well-known national NHL reporter and insider for ESPN, keeps her private life notably separate from her high-profile broadcast career. While millions of hockey fans recognize her from Stanley Cup broadcasts and her regular appearances on Around the Horn, questions regarding her personal life frequently circulate online.
Public curiosity often surrounds high-achieving women in sports media, and Kaplan is no exception. Rather than using her platform to share details about a spouse or family life, she maintains a strict boundary between her rigorous professional travel schedule and her private world. Below, we break down what is publicly known about her background, her career trajectory, and how she navigates the intense public interest in her personal life.
Career Background and Rise in Sports Media
Long before she became a prominent voice in hockey broadcasting, Kaplan built her career through traditional print and digital reporting. Raised in Montclair, New Jersey, she developed an early passion for sports, bonding with her father over hockey. She attended the Pennsylvania State University, where she studied journalism and wrote for the student newspaper, The Daily Collegian.
Her early career included competitive internships and reporting stints that shaped her professional discipline:
- The Associated Press: Worked as a stringer, handling fast-paced wire reporting.
- The Philadelphia Inquirer: Covered Penn State football, gaining direct experience with major college sports beats.
- The Boston Globe: Served as a sports intern, contributing to regional coverage.
- Sports Illustrated: Joined as a staff writer under Peter King at The MMQB, covering the National Football League (NFL) before transitioning fully to television and digital hockey coverage.
In 2017, she joined ESPN. Her transition to the network's hockey beat coincided with its renewed broadcast rights deal with the NHL. Today, she functions as a primary rinkside reporter, feature storyteller, and podcast co-host for In The Crease.
Addressing the Relationship Status Questions
Online search trends frequently target whether Kaplan is married, engaged, or in a relationship. Conclusive public records and her own media presence indicate that she is not married. She chooses to keep her romantic life entirely out of the public eye.
Unlike public figures who document milestones on social media, Kaplan's public channels—such as her Instagram and X accounts—focus almost exclusively on her professional commitments, travel logistics, player features, and game analyses. This intentional separation helps her maintain professional objectivity, especially given that she covers intensely competitive locker rooms and high-stakes playoff races where impartiality is paramount.
The Reality of a Travel-Heavy Schedule
A major reason why high-profile sports journalists often maintain private personal lives is the sheer logistical demand of the job. Kaplan has noted in interviews that during the peak of the NHL regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs, her life is defined by constant transit.
- Relentless Travel: During the playoffs, she is frequently on the road for weeks at a time, moving between arena cities.
- Unpredictable Hours: Game days involve morning skates, media availability, pre-game production meetings, live broadcasts, and post-game writing.
- Constant Adaptation: Unlike traditional nine-to-five jobs, a reporter's schedule swings wildly based on overtime games, breaking trades, and team performance.
Managing this high-tempo environment leaves little room for public-facing relationship disclosures, even if privacy weren't her primary preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Emily Kaplan related to sports broadcaster David Kaplan?
No. Despite sharing the same last name and working within the sports media industry, they are not related. David Kaplan is a prominent Chicago-based radio and television personality, while Emily grew up in New Jersey and covers national hockey for ESPN.
Where did Emily Kaplan go to college?
She graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a degree in journalism. During her time there, she was heavily involved with campus media and completed major market internships.
What teams does Emily Kaplan cover?
As a national NHL reporter for ESPN, she does not cover a single local franchise. Instead, she travels across North America to cover marquee matchups, conduct exclusive player interviews, and report on league-wide storylines for television and ESPN.com.
Why do sports journalists often keep their relationships private?
Maintaining a low profile regarding personal relationships helps journalists protect their family members from online harassment, preserve personal boundaries, and maintain professional objectivity when covering professional athletes and organizations.
