In just his first year as commentator for the Devils on MSG, the New York radio host and Hawthorne, New Jersey native has been better than Devils fans thought he'd be when they initially learned of his hiring. Slowly winning over the hearts of Devils fans, he could potentially be the voice of the Devils for seasons to come.
From 1983 to 2022, the Devils had a strong run of iconic voices calling their locally broadcast games. With heavy hitters such as Steve Cangialosi, Gary Thorne, and the legendary Mike "Doc" Emrick, every Devils game felt like it was primetime television.
In 2022, Cangialosi unexpectedly stepped down after an 11-year broadcast run with the Devils. Although he was by no means the worst commentator to ever touch the booth, Cangialosi's successor, Bill Spaulding, became the new commentator. Despite being a professional through and through, he didn't have the vocal passion that made games feel electric. Perhaps it was because of the shoes he was being asked to fill, but his short tenure on Devils broadcasts was not as exhilarating as those who were before him.
The initial hiring of La Greca had Devils fans scratching their heads. Known for his theatrical rants while co-hosting The Michael Kay Show on ESPN New York 880 AM (formerly 98.7), fans questioned if he was the right man for the job. The bar had been set high by all the legendary voices Devils fans heard in the past.
The New Jersey Devils should be happier with what Don La Greca is bringing to the table
Despite having previous experience broadcasting play-by-play, even doing the radio broadcast for the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, there was a level of uncertainty among fans before the season started.
Whether you love him or hate him, one thing is certain about La Greca: the passion is there. Sure, he occasionally pronounces a player's name horribly wrong or calls the puck handler by the wrong name, but those slip-ups will disappear in time. La Greca displays full transparency during broadcasts.
If the team is performing badly, he won't sugarcoat it. If they are performing up to the standard they should, he will give them their flowers. His now-signature tag line of "put a pitchfork in this one" after every win has become music to the ears of Devils fans, especially during a season when every game counts in a competitive Eastern Conference. If the team flips the script and starts winning more games, his phrase will be that much sweeter, and fans will crave to hear it every single game.