Worst nightmare has just happen to New York Rangers…
According to co-authors Harman Dayal and James Myrtle, The Rangers-MSG Networks telecast finished ninth out of thirty-two.
The Red Wings were first and the Bruins last. As for the Blueshirts, The Athletic’s comment goes like this:
“The only lament was ‘not getting anymore from (retired) Sam Rosen, who has left after 40 years.’ Rosen leaves huge shoes for Kenny Albert to fill next season. Sam set the standard and also raised the bar for that standard.”
Those of us who’ve listened to Sam since his MSG debut in 1985 have no qualms about the Athletic commentary except for one slightly annoying dig. The suggestion that Kenny Albert will be anything but the perfect successor to Sam is misleading.
Albert just happens to be the best – spelled B-E-S-T – hockey play-by-play guy on either side of the border. What’s more, he’s equally adept on the radio or on your screen. (And I can’t emphasize that enough; although I probably have.)
Yes, Sam WILL be missed. The beauty part of Rosen’s work was his ability to blend with any sidekick although the Rosen-John Davidson duet was made in hockey heaven.
That said, Joe Micheletti proved to be superb, coming out of the bullpen to replace J.D.
As for the MSG-Rangers competition, The Athletic put the Blueshirts’ show one ahead of the Canadiens and one behind Vancouver. Detroit’s longtime Ken Daniels-Mickey Redmond was first.
