After long time ESPN broadcaster Tom Mees died from drowning in 1996, Strader was hired by the cable network to take the vacant play-by-play spot on National Hockey Night broadcasts. Strader was usually paired with Darren Pang and Brian Engblom on the network's secondary hockey broadcast team.
Following Tom Mees' untimely death in 1996, Strader was recruited by ESPN to fill the vacant play-by-play position on National Hockey Night broadcasts. Typically, Strader worked alongside Darren Pang and Brian Engblom as part of the network's secondary hockey broadcast team.