Q&A With New York Rangers Broadcasting Legend Sam Rosen

Rosen acknowledged the crowd and pointed to them as a thank you when the camera panned to him. In most every road city this season, he’s been honored in some way.

They always say in life that you know you’ve done well when everyone takes time to recognize and honor you. In Rosen’s case, the words spoken about him are nothing but respect and admiration for truly one of the most iconic voices in hockey history.

Everyone from fans to various team employees to media to players to coaches have all made sure Rosen got his due. Lightning coach Jon Cooper started a press conference this season honoring Rosen. Then he was presented with a bottle of wine. That’s as classy as it gets.

For Rosen, that’s what his entire career was all about. He is as classy a gentleman as you will ever meet. Most hockey fans know him for his iconic call of the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup in 1994. He was a part of several everlasting moments. For a generation of hockey fans, he was their soundtrack of hockey.

After the Rangers’ morning skate on Saturday, Rosen kindly spent 11 minutes with the Hockey Writers to answer a few questions about his career and reflect on some memories.

To give you an idea of just how great Rosen is, he came walking down the hall with the biggest smile on his face. “Step into my office,” he said to me. The office in this case was the empty press conference room on the event level at Nationwide Arena. The pure joy on his face told the whole story.

Here is our conversation, which includes his memories of Blue Jackets/Rangers, reflections of broadcasters past and present then he reflects on how he wants to be remembered once he does hang his headphones up.

Rosen Q&A

On his approach to games as they count down:

“My approach was just to do the games and do them as well as possible and finish strong and not even just put off the end until the end. Right now, the games are the best part. Everything kind of changes, gets to you a little bit. The road trips are tougher. The packing is tougher. The good stuff is the game. Once the game starts and being around the rink, the games are fun. They’re exciting. They’re competitive. That’s what I love to do.”

On the excitement of the current playoff race:

“That that adds to the excitement. I’m lucky in that I’m working with a team that is renowned as an original-six team. It is a team that has star players, so there’s always excitement. The team, two out of the last three years, has gone to the Eastern Conference finals. It’s fun to do. There’s always excitement. There’s always attention on the team. In that regard, I’m fortunate. The team has underachieved this season based on predictions coming in, but there’s a great race for the playoffs. And I think that that’s created a lot of competition and a lot of excitement.”

Memories of Rangers/Blue Jackets

THW: There’s been a lot of moments between the Blue Jackets and the Rangers over the years. What comes to mind when you think about when those teams have gotten together?

Rosen: “I think for me, maybe a couple of things. The connections have been interesting ones that we’ve had. We had Derek Brassard, who was here, came to the Rangers, was a big contributing player. Rick Nash, one of the great players in the game. What a pleasure to have him after his fabulous career here in Columbus coming to New York, and he was a a big part of the team getting to the Stanley Cup final. Just terrific to have a player around that caliber player, that type of person, just great to have around. And then, of course, Artemi Panarin is the latest one, bringing not only his great talents, but a terrific personality. Great to talk with him in the locker room. Great to be around him. It’s just enjoyable for me as a broadcaster to be able to look forward to watching him play because he’s one of the terrific players of the game and has been an outstanding New York Ranger.”

Thoughts on Broadcasters

THW: Couple of broadcasters I want ask you about because we recently had the retirement of the great Jeff Rimer. What comes to mind when you think about Jeff Rimer?

Rosen: “Great respect for Jeff Rimer for all he’s done to promote the game and to be involved in the community where he worked. Whether it was Washington or Florida or here in Columbus, he always was involved in promoting the game, in getting to know the players, and I have tremendous respect for Jeff’s work throughout his career. His knowledge, second to none, knows the game, knew how to present the game to his fans in every city that he worked. Just great knowing Jeff and to always exchange thoughts and ideas with him and information as well. He was a a very valuable person in the growth of hockey and promoting the sport.”

THW: Rimer’s replacement in the booth is Steve Mears. He’s gained respect around the league. What have you gotten to know of him so far?

Rosen: “Similar. Steve is kind of understated and yet again, presents the game with great knowledge of the game, a great understanding of the players. He’s been around the league. He’s sees the different organizations and understands what it’s like to be a championship team. He’s been around championship teams. He brings a a wealth of experience and knowledge to the broadcast.”

THW: The other broadcaster we want to ask about is someone you’ve known well over the years. The great Mike Lange.

Rosen: “Well, Mike Lange is already missed. I’ve known Mike a lot of years. I met him I believe the late seventies, certainly the early eighties. Mike was always fun to be around, unique broadcaster, and he captured the city of Pittsburgh like no one else could. His great calls, totally different. I think it got to the point where everyone looked forward to what he would say, whether it was ‘scratch my back with a hacksaw’ and on and on. He was also a person with great knowledge of the game. It was always a pleasure to go into Pittsburgh and sit with Mike and get his perspective of the game and the way the game was played. And similar to to the other broadcasters, Mike was around championship players and superstar players, championship teams. He was just a treasure for the city of Pittsburgh and a great asset to the National Hockey League in how he presented the game.”

Favorite Memories Other Than the ’94 Cup

THW: The ’94 cup is going to be one of your greatest memories, I would guess, being able to call that. Outside of that, what else really comes to the top of your mind when you think about the Rangers and moments that you’ve been a part of?

Rosen: “Just being in New York itself. Sports is such a huge part of New York culture. We have so many teams. It’s very competitive amongst the teams to get the headlines, to get the the lead story on the news broadcast. Being in New York and realizing growing up in New York how important sports is in the city. And when it comes to hockey, the New York Rangers drive hockey.”

“With all respect to the Islanders and their great championship years in the eighties, the four consecutive championships, the Devils and their three Stanley Cups, the Rangers as an original-six team drive hockey. If the Rangers are going well, hockey gets a lot of attention. In ’94, you couldn’t ask for more. It started in ’92. The team had a won the President’s Trophy and had a chance to go all the way. They got knocked off in the second round by Pittsburgh. Having Mark Messier come to the organization in ’91, lead the team in ’92, have a fabulous season. He lifted the players around him. But to be around a player like that and future hall of famers, Brian Leetch, Sergei Zubov, Kevin Lowe. These were Hall of Fame players. It was fabulous to be around them and to watch them play.”

“But getting away from the ’94 team which you asked about. When the Rangers were going strong, hockey got positive attention, great attention. And just the fact that I had the good luck, good fortune of seeing so many Hall of Fame players come through New York, whether it was early in their career, middle of their career, end of their career, or their entire careers. I was watching the greatest players of the game.”

“Wayne Gretzky. I don’t wanna omit Wayne. He played his final three seasons in New York, and to watch him, to be around and to be working the final game at Madison Square Garden, to see him use sticks and pass them along, game used sticks to trainers and to other players, and then to see him take off the skates in the locker room for the final time, that was an emotional occurrence. So again, the great joy that I have of watching of the greatest players of the game.”

Lasting Memory of Rosen

THW: Sam, how do you want people to remember you at the end of the day?

Rosen: “Just that I loved the sport, and I tried to transmit that to the audience whoever I worked for. I had the good fortune of doing national broadcasts on TV and radio. And then, of course forty-plus years with the New York Rangers. You can’t ask for anything better than that. But I hope people remember that I loved the the game. I loved the players, and I tried to transmit a positive image of the sport, of the game, and what the players brought to the game each and every night.”

Not only did Rosen try to transmit that he loved the game of hockey, he did it in spades for over four decades. He did it with class and dignity that will make him forever part of hockey history.

Sam Rosen. One of the greatest broadcasters ever. In the end, it was because he loved the game of hockey with everything he had.