Hockey Hall of Famer and longtime play-by-play voice of the New York Rangers, Sam Rosen, announced back in August 2024 that he would be stepping away from calling Rangers games at the conclusion of this season. For 40 years, Rosen has been on the call, entertaining Rangers fans through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
Now, as the regular season nears its end this month, Rosen will call the April 9 contest against the Philadelphia Flyers alongside former analyst John Davidson. Notably, the broadcast will be carried live on TNT from Madison Square Garden. Vince Mercogliano of USA TODAY was first to report the possibility of Rosen and Davidson reuniting on the airwaves.
Davidson worked alongside Rosen on the call of New York Rangers games from 1986 until 2006. Over the years, their chemistry became a defining aspect of Rangers broadcasts.
More recently, the Rangers honored Rosen before the team’s March 22 contest against the Vancouver Canucks. Davidson was in attendance, along with Phil Esposito and Rosen’s current broadcast partner, Joe Micheletti. Although Davidson had not worked a game with Rosen in nearly 20 years, he has remained active in the league, currently serving in a senior advisor role with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rosen and Davidson are most remembered for their final call of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final, which marked the last time the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup. To this day, that iconic broadcast on MSG Network remains the highest-rated broadcast in the network’s history.
Looking ahead, with next season marking the 100th in New York Rangers history, Rosen has already stated that while he may be retired, he will still be involved with the organization in some capacity.
Rosen’s journey with the Rangers began in the 1977-78 season when he served as the backup to Marv Albert on the radio and Jim Gordon on the television side. Later, in September 1982, he signed his first full-time contract with the network, initially working as the MSG Networks studio host before becoming the Rangers’ main television broadcaster in the 1984-85 season.
Throughout his tenure at MSG Networks, Rosen has had three main broadcast partners. He worked his first two seasons with Phil Esposito, then spent the next 19 years alongside John Davidson, and, most recently, has worked 19 seasons with Joe Micheletti.
Beyond his broadcasting career, Rosen has received numerous accolades. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame after winning the prestigious Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 2016. Additionally, he was honored by the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and, most recently, was inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame this past summer.
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