“There are several times in the course of a book where you want to throw your hands up and walk away from it, yes. It can be frustrating and agonizing. But that’s part of it all, and it’s the tough times that make a whole project so rewarding. You have to love it—the story, the idea, the concept. And if you love it, you’ll be pushed through those times. When it’s all said and done, you’ll look back on it and finally be able to take it all in. And trust me, for a writer, there is no greater feeling than holding your book for the first time. Opening up that box that arrived in your driveway, and seeing the book for the first time. At that point, you know you’ve done it. And your life changes. Trust me.”
—Mike Vaccaro, columnist, New York Post
When you do anything for the first time, you have to lean on those who’ve already done it. They can be a guiding light. They can be a system of support. A father teaching a son how to skate. A coach showing a team how to play. A general manager informing a staff how to operate.
The same can be said for books. It is true that writing is writing, and if you know how to write, anything can be accomplished. But books are their own entity, far separate from stories and articles and features and essays. To write one without the guidance of those who’ve come before you would be counterproductive. That is why I leaned on so many authors of my generation, who provided not only insight, but more importantly, the motivation to continue pursuing my dream, through thick and thin.
Mike Vaccaro, a former colleague of mine at the New York Post, is a three-time author, and he was certainly one of those driving forces. From the cultivation of this concept, to the plotting out of how I did what I did when I did, Vaccaro was always there, and I cannot thank him enough.
“In this case, you get to write the book that you always wanted to write as your first one,” Vaccaro once told me. “That’s something.”
And he’s right.
Vaccaro was not alone. Many authors helped at many different times, including Kevin Kernan and Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post, Harvey Araton of the New York Times, Jeff Pearlman, and of course, Stan Fischler.
But there would be no book about The NHL’s Greatest Series Ever without willing participants from both sides of it. And with the Rangers and the Devils, that starts at the top. I will never forget my two-hour conversation with former Rangers general manager Neil Smith, on a Thanksgiving Eve, when we broke down 1994 from stem to stern, and shared many laughs along the way.
And I will always cherish a three-hour sitdown in the plush office of one Lou Lamoriello in Newark, New Jersey, before the Devils president and general manager watched his team take the ice on a Saturday night. We both walked away, I believe, impressed with each other’s knowledge of Devils Hockey, past, present, and future. It truly was a moving experience.
The passion, the pride, and the unchained truth that these gentlemen spoke with helped make this book what it is. And that sense of emotion was passed down to the players as well.
From the Devils, I will never forget seeing the smiles on the faces of Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko, Bruce Driver, Jim Dowd, and Martin Brodeur when certain games and certain situations came up across many passionate interviews.
Many other players from that team knew when to be serious and when to kick back and have some fun with interviews, such as Bill Guerin, Bernie Nicholls, Claude Lemieux, Tom Chorske, Corey Millen, and Randy McKay. The Devils changed their franchise in so many ways in 1993–94, and these players were at the genesis of it. They were building blocks. They were champions. And they were first class, all the way. Lamoriello wouldn’t have had it any other way.
From the Rangers, a debt of gratitude must be paid to so many players who probably get sick of talking about the same old year…every year. But to their credit, they never rolled their eyes when asked about that glorious run, and the help from Mike Keenan, Mike Richter, Brian Leetch, Doug Lidster, Adam Graves, Kevin Lowe, Nick Kypreos, Steve Larmer, Darren Turcotte, Craig MacTavish, Mark Messier, and, of course, Stephane Matteau was immeasurable.
What an incredible sense of reality I received from Matteau, who remembers 1994 as if it was yesterday. That team, that year, and this great game of hockey means so much to him, and I felt so honored to have him assist me and grace me with the foreword. So many people know his name—rightfully so—and will never forget it because of what happened in the series: “Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!”
But, indeed, Stephane is so much more than a name. And everyone who knows him understands that. I am proud to say now that I am in that fraternity.
Speaking of memories, you cannot be a respected, admired sports journalist in New York without them, and I certainly found that along this journey. From print to radio to television, the media helped move this concept forward with ease.
There were reporters who covered this series for the New York Post—Larry Brooks, Mark Everson and Jay Greenberg—whose passion for this stretch of games helped motivate and inspire. And Pat Hannigan, the night sports editor at the Post who authored the famous “We’ll Win Tonight” back page, is also a former colleague who spent some time with me reliving that magical moment.
There are also play-by-play broadcasters and analysts who are still now as razor sharp on this series as they were back then. Back then, Howie Rose and Mike Miller were the radio voices of the Rangers and Devils, respectively, and I will never forget a passionate conversation I had with Rose before a New York Mets game, and another with Miller before he went on his sports talk show to talk even more hockey.
Kenny Albert and Don LaGreca are now the radio voices of the Rangers, and this 1994 series is so near and dear to them in their own ways, they were more than happy to share their memories, as well. Albert is a Rangers fan, LaGreca is a Devils fan, and that give and take worked perfectly for this book.
Who can forget the crew at WFAN? At the time, the nation’s first all-sports outfit was the Rangers’ flagship station, and now, it’s the Devils’ flagship, so this series is forever embedded in its history. Many, many thanks go out to program director Mark Chernoff, as well as Mike Francesa, Joe Benigno, former host Chris Russo, and, of course, Steve Somers, whose emotional memories of those days and nights in New York City made even this author choke up at times during an unforgettable interview.
During a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals and in and around several primetime sporting events, I was able to get the pulse of the national and international media with regard to this series. They provided much information and inspiration, and their memories, too, are also crystal clear. For that, I offer many thanks to Barry Melrose, Darren Pang, Kelly Hrudey, Steve Levy, Mark Recchi, Bill Clement, Gary Thorne, Al Morganti, Bob Errey, Jeff Van Gundy, and Joe Gannascoli.
In its final stages, when looking back on everything, Dan Gelston of the Associated Press was an inspiration and a terrific source to bounce concepts off of.
Showing how far-reaching this series went, a memorable interview with actor Patrick Warburton, who played crazed Devils fan David Puddy on Seinfeld, broke new ground on what that team and that time meant to people. It was one of the more entertaining meetings I will ever have.
Team information is not what it used to be, and there are many sources to research hockey history now across many platforms. But you can’t beat the real thing, and to have the help and guidance of Sammy Steinlight, Brendan McIntyre, and John Rosasco with the Rangers’ media relations team, and Mike Levine with the Devils’ crew—especially during the season when they had so many other items on their list—was especially appreciated.
A party that often is forgotten in moments like this is the officials, and what a task the referees and linesmen had during that series in 1994. Kevin Collins, a linesman for Game 7, still has to give pause before talking about that series because of what it meant to him and his career. In a locker room interview after he retired, he became emotional before succinctly labeling it The NHL’s Greatest Series Ever.
Also, thanks to the NHL for game film, for Devils and Rangers media guides, and for the league’s official statistic and record book. And without question, this book would not have happened without hockey-reference.com.
No team, no championship, no series is anything without its fans, and there are so many passionate, proud ones on both sides. It was a pleasure to share stories with them, and to hear and see the emotions that rose to the surface when I talked to them. Many thanks to Denis Gorman, Rob Garomo, Lloyd Hollabaugh, and Rob and Noelle O’Shea, among so many others, for sharing.
You always will remember the people you shared such a series with, as well. For me, in 1994, this series was played after I had just graduated from Duquesne University, and I will always cherish playoff game nights with Jim Stewart, Andrew Romer, Frank Rodichok, James Orsino, Gene Pebworth, Gianni Floro, Mike Wattick, Garrett Jordan, Randy Stoernell, David Garth, Pete Aldrich, Troy Grunseth, John McMahon, Tom Blades, and Dave Freeman.
The crew at Triumph Books gave me my start. Without question, if it wasn’t for the vision and forward thinking of Tom Bast and Adam Motin, we would not be here today. They believed in this concept, they saw potential in its entirety when others didn’t, and that will never be forgotten.
My family means everything to me, and to have so many members of it be hockey fans made this easy. Many thanks to my mother, Kathleen Sullivan, and my sister, Anne Marie Sullivan; to Terry and Johnny Sullivan, brothers of my late father, for providing memories; to my stepmother, Carol Smyth; and to my brother and godson, Drew Sullivan, too young to remember 1994, but old enough now to carry the Devils’ flag with pride. And that makes me more proud than words can illustrate.
My wife, Amy, never let me slip when those “tough times” that Vaccaro mentioned came across our path—and there were plenty of those times. I will never forget her strength, determination, enthusiasm, and pride through this entire process. This is not a book without her.
And my children, T.J. and Sara, were also so proud to say their father was going to be an author. They helped me break down game film, they bragged to all of their friends, and they wanted to read the book before I even finished it.
This book is for them…and our future together.