Talk with Dave Maloney for any length of time and you pick up on a few things about the New York Rangers new television analyst on MSG Networks.
He's extremely intelligent. That intelligence is often masked by his self-deprecating sense of humor. But neither trumps just how passionate he is about the Rangers .
"I do [bleed blue]. I really do," Maloney told Forever Blueshirts on the RINK RAP podcast. "Obviously, this sport is a very passionate sport, it has a very passionate fan base … It's just the ethos of how it works. … We all have innate biases to those things closest to us. So I have a passion, a bias to the Rangers. But what I hope to do is present it [during broadcasts] in a way that it's not personal.
"I'm the tribal caller, the guys in the old Indian villages that called our tribe. Are we critical of the tribe sometimes? Certainly, because it becomes a reflection on us and we take it as reflection."
Maloney's passion for the Rangers runs deep. It was 51 years ago that the Rangers selected him in the first round (No. 14 overall) of the 1974 NHL Draft. Maloney debuted on Broadway at 18 years old, appearing in four games during the 1974-75 season.
He was a regular on the defense corps two seasons later, and in 1978-79 became the youngest captain in Rangers history. All of 22 years old at the time, Maloney helped lead the Rangers that season to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens , upsetting the favored Islanders along the way.
That season, he was joined on the Rangers by his younger brother, Don.
"The most special time in my career," big brother Dave called those seven seasons he and Don were Blueshirts teammates.
Maloney played 657 games in the NHL, 602 with the Rangers, and the rest in his final season with the Buffalo Sabres . Since 2005-06, he was Kenny Albert's sidekick on Rangers radio broadcasts.
Now, he and Albert move into the television booth together, replacing Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti, who each retired after last season. Taking this step alongside Albert makes it all even more special for Maloney.
"He's just terrific, the best in the business," Maloney said about his longtime on-air partner. "The absence of ego is reassuringly frightening. He's a special guy. He really is."
When told that he is deserving of this latest opportunity with the Rangers, Maloney graciously deflected the compliment.
"I'm not sure I ever deserved anything. I like to think that through the results of hard work, I've earned at least a look. … I'm just thankful for the opportunity."
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Maloney recounted how his first experience as a broadcaster was working alongside Kenny's dad, legendary Rangers broadcaster Marv Albert. His fascinating and winding journey is not lost on Maloney.
"My first salvo in the booth was in the early 80's when I got hurt in the playoffs and I ended up in the booth with Marv and Sal Messina as the third guy," he explained. "Kenny was like 13 at that time (doing statistics for his father), and I got to know the Albert family well. So, it's amazing where life takes you, right?"
Maloney worked outside of hockey for a number of years, though he did dabble in broadcasting, as well, including stints with Sports Channel, FOX, the Minnesota North Stars, and CTV in Canada.
He's carried a certain perspective into the radio booth — and now on television — derived from his experience as an NHL player. It's what balances his passion with compassion as he analyzes what's going on.
"When the Rangers are good, my call is great! But the magic is when they're not good to keep it on the up and up," Maloney explained. "I respect the game so much … I don't like the guys who played the game and only see the mistakes and don't recognize that, hey, the game is really hard."
So, too, is the broadcast business. And remaining tied to the same organization for half a century and all of your adult life.
At 68, Maloney is opening a new door and accepting a new challenge. He couldn't be any happier than do it with the Rangers.
"I take great pride in being around one of the Original 6 franchises for this long and still be in a position where they say 'OK, we're going to tap this old guy on the shoulder and you're going to continue to be a tribal caller.' So, that's awesome."
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