Sam Rosen’s accolades already include the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Foster Hewitt Award, four Sports Emmys and his upcoming 40th anniversary season as the Rangers’ play-by-play announcer.
The upcoming induction into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame, is another that will last longer than a lifetime.
“It’s a great honor because of the length of my career, being a New Yorker my whole life, it’s something special,” Rosen told The Post ahead of this weekend’s induction in Troy, N.Y. “And when you say Hall of Fame, it’s something for me that connotes forever. There is no greater honor than to know that a legacy will be left after my career is over. My children and grandchildren will be able to recognize the fact that I contributed to the sport and to our country.
Rosen will be inducted into the nation’s Hall of Fame alongside a class that includes a trio of Islanders legends — Denis Potvin, Ken Morrow and Ed Westfall — along with 1980 Team USA captain Mike Eruzione.
“I’m just the guy out there, (I’m) lucky to have the career I’ve had and to be the greatest player in the world,” Rosen said. “These are people who for me deserve respect. They come from all over the world, they have good stories and they are good athletes and very good people, and I have been lucky enough to be around them for a long time.
“Yeah, it’s unreal when I think about it, but my whole career has been like that. So, especially being a part of the New York Rangers and being able to do the game. Again, being able to watch and broadcast and meet the greatest players in the world. Hall of Famers to the nth degree, we’ve been Rangers – whether it’s Mark Messier or Wayne Gretzky or Marcel Dionne, I don’t want to forget Brian Leetch. There’s a lot that came through the Rangers organization.
He joins a stable of announcers in the Hall that also includes longtime Islanders voices Howie Rose and Al Michaels, called Miracle on Ice.
Now the longest active broadcaster in the NHL, Rosen has been the soundtrack of franchises for two generations, from coach Herb Brooks and captain Barry Beck through coach Peter Laviolette and captain Jacob Trouba.
“I think the moment I want is when the fans come outside the Park, sometimes inside the Park, in the arenas around the league – whether it’s older fans, younger fans, their children and they continue to be excited. and the greatness of the sport,” said Rosen. “And I think when I go, people come and it used to be, in the old days, it was all about autographs and I would take pictures on camera? Now it’s all about selfies.
“And those people are really nice, and it’s really important to them. And that’s the moment when I’m walking away and I’m sitting in the car and I say, wow, that’s really something special that, number one, they say good things about me, for me, and number two, that they passed on the love of the game, the love of sports for the kids and sometimes grandchildren, and I have been a part of. That makes it more special.
While still there, there are no plans to retire at the age of 76.
“For me, the love is still there, the excitement is still there,” he said. “But there are many other considerations. Always travel considerations, health considerations, family considerations. Everything comes into play, and basically just kind of go year-to-year and see how it goes. It’s been a good ride, and I love it. And I looking forward to next season.”
