It’s Sam and Joe for the qualifying round!

New York Rangers fans rejoice! It’s Sam and Joe calling the qualifying round games!

One big question for New York Rangers fans was answered this week.  Yes, the MSG Network will carry all of the qualifying round games as well as the warmup match with the Islanders on July 29.  The good news for most of us is that we will be spared the national announcers on NBC for at least the first round of the postseason.

How this would work had been a question considering that local announcers would not be allowed into the hub sites unless they were part of the official team roster, limited to 52 bodies. With that  restriction, there is virtually no chance that broadcasters will be included.

It turns out that Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti will be in the MSG Network studios in Manhattan doing the play-by-play while watching on television, just like the rest of us.  There will be no ice-side commentary and what the announcers see will be limited to whatever the cameras are sending back to New York.  The same will go for the radio announcers who will also have to watch the video feed from Toronto.

Considering how stringent the health requirements are for anyone in the hub “bubble,” it makes sense that announcers will not be allowed into the hub.  The question is whether NBC or Rogers Sportsnet will have any on-air personnel in the hub cities or will they be subject to the same restrictions as the local stations.

Enhanced telecasts?

There is still no word on whether MSG or NBC will enhance the game feeds with pre-recorded crowd noise.  There will be no sound effects in the arenas, but the possibility exists that crowd noise could be added to the telecasts, like they were with the English Premier League and German Bundesliga gamecasts.

If anyone watched those telecasts, it worked well and enhanced the experience.  Come on folks, don’t you want to hear Sam say “The fans start a lets go Rangers chant.”  Even better, what about an occasional “Potvin sucks” and the Rangers goal song when they score during their home games?    While we’re at it, can we please, please, please have the late John Amirante sing the national anthem for the home games?

Another question is whether there will also be a national feed of the Rangers’ games.  NBC has traditionally carried every single Stanley Cup Playoffs game and the schedule should allow them to do that.

Pre and postgame coverage

MSG Network will also provide complete pre and postgame coverage of all games, again anchored out of their Manhattan studios. That’s the way they have always done it, so it shouldn’t feel any different.  The only thing missing will be Dave Maloney’s locker room interviews.  It appears that postgame availability will be structured press conferences (as they are in the playoffs) with all questions posed electronically.

We are less than two weeks away from the Rangers’ exhibition game against the Islanders on Wednesday, July 29. Considering the circumstances, it will be as much of a warm-up for the real thing for the announcers as it is for the players.

Considering how novel all of this is, it’s a comfort to know that we will be able to hear our own immortal Sam Rosen and his sidekick, Joe Micheletti provide the play-by-play.

Blue Line Station readers, we will again revive our live chat during all postseason games.  You can come to this site and share our thoughts about the game as it happens.  We can’t wait.