A few months ago, Belen Michelis from ESPN Communications turned into type enough to set up an interview with Don La Greca, co-host of The Michael Kay Show on 98.7 FM ESPN New York in addition to the New York Rangers radio broadcaster.
At The Michael Kay Show’s current Beach Bash occasion, held at Martell’s Tiki Bar in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, I could catch up with him for a fast conversation about the NHL, and more exceptional especially the nation of professional hockey within the New York region. First off, I needed to ask his opinion on the beyond yr’s playoffs. The last time we met, the playoffs hadn’t even begun. Although La Greca made a passing comment approximately the Blues going from worst to first, no person might have suspected they might win the cup or that the Tampa Bay Lightning would be swept in the first spherical.
“I idea they were outstanding. I mean, you worry – does the regular season simply as a whole lot while the best crew in the league receives swept in the first round? But it became wonderful, Carolina’s run becomes exquisite, St. Louis’s run was wonderful. I concept the video games have been excellent. While maximum hockey lovers who didn’t have an allegiance to the Boston Bruins started to root for the texture-proper tale of the St. Louis Blues, I asked La Greca if he too changed into the “Gloria” bandwagon. I had a whole lot of a laugh.”
“Being a New York man, seeing Boston win again could be a bit tons, even though I do recognize that Charlie McAvoy is from Long Beach, Long Island. He’s a person I met; I became rooting for him.” “St. Louis is such a true story. It virtually changed into. They were a closing vicinity team on January 3rd. I become searching back at my notes because New Year’s Eve has been ultimate in everything. And keep in mind, Craig Berube took over in November, and nothing was regarded to work. But then they are known as up Jordan Binnington, and the whole lot appeared to come back together.”
We were pretty much every week removed from the 2019 NHL draft wherein the New York region teams, the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers, held the primary and two natural alternatives, respectively. With Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko welcomed to the tristate location due to the fact then, I requested La Greca what he notion approximately the nation of New York hockey. In particular, I asked him roughly the surprise addition of the New Jersey Devils obtaining P.K. Subban thru alternate from the Nashville Predators.
“I assume it’s remarkable. I begin with the Rangers – the letter labored, the lovers are affected person, and beginning to coins in. They get Jacob Trouba, they get Adam Fox, they draft Kaapo Kakko, who looks as if he could be a finisher, you obtain John Davidson returned, and the fans trust, so I think the fans are hyped for this season.” “The Devils go out, and they get the exceptional player inside the draft, at the least they consider so, in Jack Hughes, and they add P.K. Subban. Subban offers you a proper-passed shot, and now Vatanen can circulate down to the second pairing.”
“But he might be the most famous athlete they ever had. Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, they’re Hall of Famers. Subban’s the kind of man who can go to a Knick recreation, and he’ll be at the Jumbotron. People will recognize him. That’s going to put hockey inside the vanguard. I’m looking to get him as a weekly on the Michael Kay Show. Not simply communicate approximately hockey, however, talk about different sports activities.”
“And then you got Lou Lamoriello walking the Islanders, so there’s self-assurance there that he’s moving them in the proper path. They had a high-quality season after dropping their first-rate participant. So virtually all three teams, all three fan bases, must be pretty overrated about what’s coming in the destiny.”P.K. Subban has emerged as not the brilliant Norris Trophy-winning defenseman but a more substantial than lifestyles character in the international of expert hockey. He’s buying and selling inside the reputedly quieter locale of Nashville for the town that by no means sleeps, so one has to wonder how Subban will regulate the pressure that comes with being a New York athlete. La Greca believes it will be no hassle for the 30-yr-vintage defenseman.