But getting to call a game with Davidson one last time is not something he thought would be possible because the NHL’s rightsholders have their regular broadcasters; Rosen isn’t one of them and Davidson hasn’t been a regular in the booth in 19 years.
“When I got the call from the producer, Kevin Brown, then I knew it was real,” Rosen said. “First, I was waiting and wondering, were they just throwing feelers out and might they not do the game because the Flyers aren’t in the playoff picture and the Rangers have been up and down, but at that point when the call came, I knew, ‘OK, we’re doing the game, let’s go.’
“This is a real special moment. It’s an addition you didn’t know was going to happen.”
Rosen and Davidson last called a Rangers game together on April 29, 2006. It was Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils that ended New York’s 2005-06 season in a sweep.
Davidson, known for his signature ‘Oh Baby’ call while with the Rangers, left the broadcast booth after that season to become an NHL executive, first with the St. Louis Blues, then the Rangers and finally the Columbus Blue Jackets. He transitioned into a senior adviser role with the Blue Jackets after last season.
But he has called five Blue Jackets games this season with Steve Mears on FanDuel Sports Network Ohio. He watches games nightly, including regularly taking in Rosen’s call on the Rangers’ broadcasts.
“This is another great example of our terrific partnership with our national rightsholders, as we are constantly brainstorming unique and creative approaches to our broadcasts,” NHL president of content, events and productions Steve Mayer said. “We wanted to celebrate Sam Rosen’s incredible career and thought that there could be no more fitting way than by reuniting him with his longtime partner and fellow Hall of Famer, John Davidson. This will be a celebration for the entire NHL and particularly special for New York hockey fans. And we are delighted that TNT embraced the opportunity to give this duo the microphones for the night.”
Rosen and Davidson expect to seamlessly fall back into their old ways as Sam and J.D.
“I don’t see why we wouldn’t,” Davidson said. “We’re just going to go there and call a game that’s hopefully a really good hockey game and just have fun doing it.”
That’s what they did for two decades. They were the voices of the Rangers when they won the Stanley Cup in 1994. They were there in the lean times, like when the Rangers missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for seven straight seasons from 1998-2004.
“When you’ve got a broadcaster there for 40 years, there’s generations of Rangers fans that grew up listening to that voice,” Davidson said. “It’s a very important part of the fabric of sports. People identify a lot with that voice. I still have people come up to me and say, ‘J.D., thanks for teaching me the game.’ In fact, I went for an MRI today and I was going in and a Rangers fan was right there and he told me I taught him the game. It’s just great. People remember. Times change, of course, but people remember. There’s a bond there. There’s a tremendous bond. The broadcasters, if they’re doing their jobs, they’re the conduit between the fan and the team.”
Rosen has been for 40 years, half that time spent with Davidson. His mic will turn off after this season, but for one last time it’ll be Sam and J.D. together in the broadcast booth and the Rangers on the ice at Madison Square Garden.
“I just want us to have fun,” Davidson said. “I don’t want at all to be the center of any attention, the game should be, but we’ll do our best to have people enjoy the broadcast. It’ll be fun. It’ll be a great deal of fun.”
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
