“There’s a lot to miss, Hank.”
What will Sam Rosen miss the most in his retirement? That question was posed to him on Wednesday night by someone he has interacted with frequently over the years, Henrik Lundqvist.
Before becoming a studio analyst, Lundqvist spent his entire NHL career as a goalie with the New York Rangers, which meant he worked closely with Rosen, the iconic Rangers announcer who is retiring at the end of the season. Prior to the Rangers’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Lundqvist, along with his NHL on TNT co-hosts, interviewed Rosen. Before asking his question, Lundqvist expressed his admiration for Rosen, highlighting how much he valued their interactions.
“I just want to say it was a true pleasure to be around you as a player throughout my career,” Lundqvist said. “I appreciated seeing you on the team plane, chatting before every morning skate about the game and life. Thank you for being such a professional; it was really a pleasure to be around you.”
His question was, “You’ve been involved in the game for so long; what will you miss now that you’re stepping away after 40 years in this role?”
Rosen, who has recently received numerous tributes from both past and present Rangers, as well as fellow announcers, talked about the many things he will miss.
“There’s a lot I’ll miss, Hank,” Rosen said. “I think I’ll start with the players. I’ll miss the connections I’ve built with them. As you mentioned, for 15 years, I loved going into the locker room and talking with the players — those 19-year-olds who join the team all have incredible stories.”
He also noted that even during tough times for the Rangers, he has always enjoyed — and will especially miss — watching the games unfold on the ice.
“But I will miss the game itself. The games are so exciting. Every night I look forward to the next game. It’s been a wild, up-and-down season for the Rangers, but I can’t wait for the puck to drop so we can watch the best players in the world compete right in front of us.”
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