This season officially marks the end of an era for the New York Rangers. Not because of any player, coach or executive, but because of their legendary announcer.
Last month, Hockey Hall of Fame broadcaster Sam Rosen announced that this season would be his last as the Blueshirts' play-by-play announcer. The 77-year-old has been the voice of the Rangers since 1984, and his voice is pretty much synonymous with the team itself.
Although Rosen is still thriving physically, he didn't want to wait until it was too late to walk away.
“You kind of reach a point where you look at it, and this is probably the best time for everyone concerned,” Rosen said, per Daily Faceoff. “For me, for my family, for MSG Network, for the Rangers…It’s been a wonderful ride.
“‘My heart says I want to do this forever, but my head says I can’t.’ That’s really what it gets down to…You never want to just hang on and have people say, ‘I remember when Sam was much better,’ or ‘His game has fallen off a little bit.'”
Rosen has seen several legends of the game don a Rangers sweater, including Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Henrik Lundqvist, just to name a few. He also had the honor of calling the 1994 Stanley Cup Final, when New York ended its 54-year title drought.
For him, though, every single game is one to remember.
“That’s the way I’ve treated it in my broadcasting career. Every game is special…the fans that tune in, it means something to them,” Rosen said. “They’re loyal, they’re hardcore…The fanbase follows the team. We go to Raleigh and play the [Carolina Hurricanes], and you see the Ranger fans, sometimes 40-50 percent of the fans in the arena. The fans are always there.”
Additionally, Rosen has also worked with some incredible color commentators over the years at MSG. He first worked with Hockey Hall of Fame forward Phil Esposito, then former Rangers goaltender John Davidson, and since 2006, Joe Micheletti, whom he previously worked with at Fox. Those three have not only made Rosen's job easier, but also much more enjoyable.
“Very, very important to be comfortable with the guy you’re working next to,” Rosen said. “That’s one of the things that have made my job more pleasurable, that I’ve been so fortunate. John and I knew each other when he was a player, and we became very close friends. I’ve been very lucky for 40 years with the Rangers to have just three outstanding broadcast partners.”
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