Parting Schotts

Doc Emrick leaving Devils

Mike "Doc" Emrick, the voice of the New Jersey Devils on MSG Plus since 1993, is leaving the network to concentrate his energies on being the lead play-by-play voice of the NHL on NBC and Versus.

Doc is the best hockey announcer out there. The insights he provides are outstanding. And he has always been a friend of college hockey.

Personally, Doc has been a friend of my family for over 25 years. He used to be the television play-by-play voice of the Philadelphia Flyers in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and knew my parents because of their involvement in the Flyers Fan Club.

I first met Doc in the mid-1980s while covering the Hershey Bears. While with the Flyers, Doc lived in Hershey and he would be at Hersheypark Arena when the schedule allowed him.

Doc has always been good to me with interviews, or thanking me for sending him information on Kelly Zajac, whose brother, Travis, plays for the Devils.

Doc, who will be 65, will be able to have a lighter workload with NBC and Versus instead of the grind of an 82-game Devils schedule.

I will freely admit that I am not a fan of the Devils. But I would watch the games so that I could listen to Doc's call.

While I'm happy he will still be on the air with NBC and Versus, I am sad that he won't be on MSG Plus anymore.

Doc posted a statement on the Devils website. The Devils also posted a video tribute. To see it, click here.

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