There are a few things in my life that I always thought would remain a constant: death, taxes, and Sam Rosen yelling “IT’S A POWER PLAY GOAL!” That last part may have been a bit of an overstatement, but for me—and likely for you reading this, along with countless others—Sam Rosen was the only voice of the New York Rangers we truly knew. Night after night, without fail, I’d flip on MSG Network and see Sam there, joined by John Davidson, Dave Maloney, or Joe Micheletti. For over two hours each game, they painted the picture of what was happening on the ice.
Sam set the tone with his sharp eye for play-by-play, his excitement whenever the Rangers made a great play, and his ability to stay objective without leaning too far into homerism. There was a certain comfort in hearing his voice—it meant hockey was on, making those long, cold winter nights a little more bearable. That’s why the news over the summer hit so hard.
Before the season began, Sam Rosen announced that 2024-25 would be his final year calling games. As expected, the sports world poured out love and appreciation across various platforms. The Rangers later revealed they would honor Rosen’s 40-year career on Saturday, March 22, 2025, when they face off against the Vancouver Canucks.
The night will feature a special pregame on-ice ceremony to celebrate Rosen’s impact on the franchise, with additional in-arena entertainment and Rosen-themed experiences.
And it’s all more than well deserved. This season has been packed with tributes from across the NHL as he nears the end of an incredible 40-year run. He’s been there for almost every iconic Rangers moment since the ‘80s, from declaring that 1994 “will last a lifetime” to delivering an unforgettable call when Artemi Panarin lifted the Rangers past the Penguins in Game 7 of the 2022 playoffs. Through every game, every night, Sam has been the consummate professional, pouring passion into every call—every shift, every hit, every shot, every goal.
He was damn good at what he did. And as someone who dreams of making it in broadcasting (seriously, hire me—I call baseball, hockey, and football), I can’t help but admire how he did it right. Sam belongs in the same breath as New York broadcasting legends like Mel Allen, Bob Murphy, Red Barber, Howie Rose, Gary Cohen, Doc Emrick, and Marv Albert just to name a few. When you think of Rangers hockey, you think of Sam Rosen on the mic. When he calls his final game—whether in the regular season or playoffs—it will be bittersweet, but well-earned, and a moment of well-deserved rest.
I have no idea if Sam will ever read this (I’d love for that to happen), but from one small-time broadcaster in New Jersey—thank you. Thank you for all the memories, for all the calls, for being the voice of the New York Rangers. I know I’m far from the only one who feels this way.
