For over two decades, Mike Breen has been a beloved figure by New York sports fans as the play-by-play man of the New York Knicks. But on Saturday, Breen shared praise for a man who he says has upheld the standard of being a broadcaster in New York perhaps better than anyone else.
On Saturday afternoon ahead of the New York Rangers matchup against the Vancouver Canucks, the Rangers held a pregame celebration for the illustrious broadcasting career of longtime TV play-by-play voice Sam Rosen in light of his looming retirement at the end of the 2024-25 NHL season.
The Garden Faithful salutes Sam Rosen and he thanks #NYR fans in return –
“For every person that has stopped me and asked for a selfie or my autograph – thank you. You are my inspiration to be the best I could be.”@NYRangers | #ASaluteToSam pic.twitter.com/pgBz9AChqN
— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) March 22, 2025
Later in the day, on the call of Saturday’s matchup between the New York Knicks and the Washington Wizards, Breen shared some kind words about his MSG colleague, thanking Rosen for “sustaining and setting” the standard for a New York broadcaster for decades.
“We love Sam. All of us who work here for either the Rangers or the Knicks. We consider it an honor and a privilege to work here. And there is a certain pressure to uphold the standard, the standard Sam Rosen has sustained and set for decades. I know I am one of many, both here at The Garden and throughout the sportscasting industry, and the NHL and hockey fans, who look up to Sam Rosen. We thank him for showing us how it’s done. For setting the bar so high. And I can’t think of a more fitting person to get that type of treatment here at Madison Square Garden.”
“We thank him for showing us how it’s done. For setting the bar so high. And I can’t think of a more fitting person to get that type of treatment here at Madison Square Garden.”
Mike Breen offered quite a tribute to Sam Rosen during the Knicks game. https://t.co/N4L5zdf8lC pic.twitter.com/8wXTd9aCbg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 23, 2025
Similarly, Walt Frazier had some compliments ready for Rosen, whom he called a “great person” who has always been complimentary and friendly to him.
“Yeah, he is a great person,” added Frazier. “Always cordial, friendly, complimentary. Congratulations, Sam, we will miss you.”
Rosen, who has been the TV play-by-play voice of the Rangers since 1982, would like a similar farewell as longtime New York Yankees radio voice John Sterling got this past fall, sharing his desire to call the Rangers postseason run should they make it to the postseason.
Currently, the Rangers find themselves just outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, just one point behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Wild Card spot in the conference.
But clearly, even if he doesn’t get to call one last postseason run for the Rangers, he has nothing left to prove as a broadcaster in the eyes of Mike Breen.