Sam Rosen Final Season: Rangers Voice on 1994 Call, 40 Years & Kenny Albert

Rangers broadcasting legend Sam Rosen joins Neil Smith and Vic Morren for an emotional interview during his 40th and final season as Voice of the New York Rangers. From the iconic "No More Curses, this one will last a lifetime" Game 7 call in 1994 to surviving ownership changes at Madison Square Garden, the beer incident with Alan Cohen, wine collection from NHL coaches, league-wide sendoff overwhelming him, and Kenny Albert's natural succession. Hear about the 1980 OIHL with Neil, working with Phil Esposito and John Davidson, advice for aspiring broadcasters to express love of the game, Bruce Connal hiring him at ESPN, Rick Tocchet gambling story in Phoenix, why 1994 remains the greatest moment any broadcaster could have calling Game 7 at home arena, and the emotional reality of his final game Thursday against Tampa Bay. Born Samuel Rosenblum in Ulm, Germany, this is the story of 40 years at the World's Most Famous Arena.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] - Welcome: His Calls Will Last a Lifetime - Sam Rosen final season celebration

[01:00] - Broadcast legend brings down curtain Thursday: Rangers host Tampa at MSG

[02:00] - Engaging energetic gentleman off camera exactly same as on air

[03:00] - Three Things: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Montreal Canadians for final Eastern spot

[04:00] - Jet Greaves incredible run: 120 of 123 saves last four games, two shutouts

[05:00] - Adam Fantilli 30th goal: could be best player from that draft

[06:00] - Blue Jackets tragedy: Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Gaudreau, Sean Monahan joining

[07:00] - Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues capture wild card spots

[08:00] - Calgary Flames eliminated but Adam Huska deserves credit for job done

[09:00] - Ducks and Flames: reason for optimism in seasons coming ahead

[10:00] - Toronto Maple Leafs take Atlantic: Mitch Marner 100 points, Austin Matthews 400th

[11:00] - Craig Berube blueprint exactly what playoffs require

[12:00] - Seven of eight matchups set: Washington waiting for Columbus or Montreal

[13:00] - Sam Rosen interview begins: old friend from around 1980

[14:00] - OIHL: first rotisserie hockey league, fantasy before anybody else

[15:00] - 35 years old at Garden: always on edge, how long can this last?

[16:00] - 1984-85 first full-time Rangers TV season, backup years before that

[17:00] - 40-year run at Madison Square Garden: phenomenal under MSG umbrella

[18:00] - Different owners: Paramount, ITT, salary freezes, four ownership groups in 11 years

[19:00] - Never thought of it that way: loved what I was doing so much

[20:00] - ESPN September 1979: first college football games, Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals

[21:00] - Train rides to DC: scouting and aspiring broadcaster traveling together

[22:00] - 1977 February: Jim Gordon sick, recommended Sam for Knicks-Nets radio

[23:00] - 1982 Joe Cohen: first contract, three-year deals throughout career

[24:00] - Most nervous moment: fan dumped beer on Tom Watt's head, Sam said stop selling beer

[25:00] - Next day: Alan Cohen's office, "Sam, we make a lot of money selling beer"

[26:00] - "Please be careful what you say" - thanked him, left timidly, still had job

[27:00] - Next season: stopped selling beer in third period after second intermission

[28:00] - Wine collection: John Cooper Tampa Bay, Plum Jack Cabernet and Merlot

[29:00] - Bottles from LA Kings, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers

[30:00] - Thursday night: bringing Plum Jack to booth, Cooper might watch from booth

[31:00] - League-wide sendoff: overwhelming, heartwarming, tears come to eyes

[32:00] - Professional associates, friendships in every city: former players, executives, GMs

[33:00] - Salt Lake City: brand new to NHL, fans amazing, lined up for selfies

[34:00] - Phoenix game with Neil: Rick Tocchet gambling story national news

[35:00] - Rick Tocchet: favorite people, wonderful wherever he's been

[36:00] - Gambling then touchy subject, now accepted money stream in sports

[37:00] - Authorities trying to get New Jersey state trooper, Rick pulled in

[38:00] - Kenny Albert succession: natural course of events, grew up with Rangers

[39:00] - Kenny: stats for dad on Rangers radio, own person, didn't rely on dad's accomplishments

[40:00] - Minor leagues in Baltimore: Barry Trotz still good friend, became national broadcaster

[41:00] - Outsider would be difficult for fans: Kenny part of Rangers family, easy transition

[42:00] - Kenny done radio 25+ years, knows Rangers as well as anybody

[43:00] - Aspiring broadcasters advice: don't be afraid to express love of game

[44:00] - Great plays: exhilarating, athletes skilled and talented, show appreciation

[45:00] - Be versatile: never know where job opportunity comes, grab it

[46:00] - Scottie Connal ESPN: women's field hockey, Australian rules football, "anything you can't do?"

[47:00] - "Probably is, but I'll find out how to do it" - love hockey but grab baseball opportunity

[48:00] - Love of game: even 5-1 score, great play is great play, get excited

[49:00] - Sports and entertainment: people can't afford ticket prices, let them know why you love it

[50:00] - Bruce Connal: Scottie's son, worked many games together, great producer

[51:00] - Bruce hired Sam at ESPN 1987: smart man, miss him dearly

[52:00] - "Watch out, the bulls are coming" - running joke on headset

[53:00] - Neil arrived 1989: Roger Neilson coaching, serendipity building Rangers

[54:00] - "Gotta be good to be lucky, gotta be lucky to be good" - 1994 culmination

[55:00] - Greatest moment broadcaster could have: championship of team you grew up with

[56:00] - Game 7 home venue Madison Square Garden: ending long drought

[57:00] - Rangers-Devils Eastern Conference Final: best series ever involved with

[58:00] - Stanley Cup at MSG: hardest to win, four seven-game series

[59:00] - Magical time, magical moment: adversity, ups and downs Neil lived through

[01:00:00] - Team won only one championship 85 years: Neil and Mike Keenan achieved it

[01:01:00] - Shining moment: nobody can match that, will always have it

[01:02:00] - Hall of Famers: Mike Gartner traded, Glenn Anderson sixth Cup

[01:03:00] - Messier, Leetch, Zubov, Lowe, Kovalev: great players, great team

[01:04:00] - Honor calling Messier games: greatest leaders, kid from Edmonton embraces New York

[01:05:00] - One of greatest athletes ever played in New York City: huge accomplishment

[01:06:00] - Wayne Gretzky comes later: first year with Messier magical

[01:07:00] - "This one will last a lifetime" - favorite phrase, lifetime moment

[01:08:00] - Making everyone feel part of it: JD, Joe Whelan, office people, contributors

[01:09:00] - Thursday finale vs Tampa: hard to go out without playoffs

[01:10:00] - Last year: MSG first round only, radio second and third rounds with Kenny's TNT conflicts

[01:11:00] - Last four years: conference finals three times, not quite good enough but good

[01:12:00] - Players so special: great to talk about family, trips, things they like to do

[01:13:00] - Memories: Panarin, Chris Kreider lifetime Ranger, Matt Rempe huge wanting to be player

[01:14:00] - Encouraged Rempe: "You've come long way, don't stop now, reach high as you can"

[01:15:00] - Kids have great stories: enriched my life, Hall of Famers will stay with me forever

[01:16:00] - Celebrated league-wide: honored at Garden March 22, game with JD on TNT

[01:17:00] - Thursday night it's real: last time in, last time out

[01:18:00] - Tried to focus on games: quiet time, realization it's end of an era

[01:19:00] - September 2025: everybody getting ready for training camp, I don't need to go

[01:20:00] - Plus to that: enjoyment of other things, but hard to walk away

[01:21:00] - Realization: what I've done, what I've committed my life to, accepted and acknowledged

[01:22:00] - People appreciate what I've done, what I've tried to do, means awful lot

[01:23:00] - Jake Maurice (Paul's son): 25, aspiring broadcaster, East Coast League, spent period in booth

[01:24:00] - "If I can help you in any way, don't hesitate to call" - mean that to young people

[01:25:00] - Emotionally difficult: try to keep it together, great run, very proud

[01:26:00] - Thankful for all acknowledgements received

[01:27:00] - Kenny Albert: wonderful human being, humble despite exposure, Vancouver jersey kid

[01:28:00] - NHL great people: honored to meet, treasured friends, humble after fantastic things

[01:29:00] - Sam: good human being for all these years, what should be most proud of

[01:30:00] - Respect for contribution to NHL and Rangers: thank you Neil for kind words

[01:31:00] - Love for game: give everything heart and soul, appreciate all Neil accomplished

[01:32:00] - No one can match what you did in 1994: GM of only championship 85 years

[01:33:00] - Grateful: worked at World's Most Famous Arena, great sports franchise

[01:34:00] - Great run: thankful to everyone who helped along the way

[01:35:00] - Next year: 100th anniversary Rangers, events remembering championship years, great players

[01:36:00] - Neil part of that: look forward to seeing you then, stay in touch, cherish friendship

[01:37:00] - Same guy: decades together, accolades haven't changed him one bit

[01:38:00] - Energy infectious: just loves what he does, did not disappoint

[01:39:00] - ESPN and TNT anxious: six Canadian teams possible, four Original Six US teams out

[01:40:00] - Networks don't pick dance...