Before succeeding Mike Emrick as the television voice of the Devils in 2011, my hiring by the MSG Network had to be approved by then Devils' General Manager Lou Lamoriello. I remember sitting in his office discussing the responsibility of following a Hall of Fame broadcaster, but I told him that my chief concern was bonding with Glenn "Chico" Resch, who had been working with the same partner for 16 years. Lou cut me off in mid-sentence saying, "don't worry about Chico, don't worry about the Hall of Famer. Do your job. The rest takes care of itself."
I've had the honor of calling games for teams managed by Lamoriello, Ray Shero, and Tom Fitzgerald - three different people, and three of the wisest hockey minds I've encountered.
I informed Fitzy of my plan to step away from the Devils' TV booth more than a month ago and he was terrific - concerned about me as a person before asking any other questions. I told him what my greatest joy in this job was: watching men of great character and learning from them.
I often think about the way professionals such as Travis Zajac and Andy Greene portrayed themselves in good times and bad. Always generous with their time. Always accountable. My broadcast partners Resch and Ken Daneyko exhibit similar traits today. I've told them both how amazed I am at their generosity when it comes to spending time with fans.
I never got the chance to tell Brian Boyle what he meant to me professionally. At a time when he was facing his own medical challenge, he was only concerned with his son Declan. There were days when Brian would start his day at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to be with his son, be excused from the Devils' morning skate, but at 7 p.m. he'd be in New Jersey. And he'd be the most prepared player on the ice. How are you not motivated by that, regardless of what your role is?
I'm going to remember the Taylor Hall shorthanded goal in Montreal, Hall's penalty shot versus Lundqvist, the Hischier overtime goal in Minnesota to make Cory Schneider a winner again, and Adam Henrique's double overtime goal in Florida forever. Hope you will too.
I told Fitzgerald and his staff that there will come a time next season when Jack Hughes skates through four players, scores a goal, and I will be watching on my couch thinking to myself 'I wish that was me calling the goal.' That's because the team is on the way up and I can't wait to witness the next chapter. MSG Networks and the Devils will soon introduce a new voice to deliver that to you. Can't wait to hear it.
