News Article: Bill Spaulding to be named as new Devils play-by-play announcer

[Satans Hockey]

For me is it that he didn’t seem to know the basic rules of the game well enough, or at least wasn’t perceptive enough to see what was going on around the play. There were always like a few times a game that it seemed like he didn’t know why the refs/linesman was blowing a whistle, despite a clear signal being given that the viewer could be on the screen. There was always him thinking the Devils were getting a PP, even though the whistle blew when they touched for possession meaning the call was on them.

He and Dano def had that problem a lot... and I'm a big Steve fan. He's been the voice of my sports life for a long time (Devils and Red Bulls). But there were so many times the whistle would blow... I would say out loud "offside. penalty. out of play." something... and they would both be like "we'll have to wait and see what the stoppage was for" or "and the whistle blows and what do we have here"

I think they had more of an issue with that when they were calling the games from the studio instead of being there for the games, it happens a lot with Steve and Shep with the red bulls road games cause they are in the studio as well

 

[glenwo2]

MSG announces it as well

okay that last Goal-score call sounded solid.

Felt a little "something" there.

Need MORE of *that*.

 

[glenwo2]

Okay...I completely forgot he actually called a game.

He sounded pretty decent.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I agree. Bryce Salvador and dano should switch jobs

Dano is not capable of doing Bryce's breakdowns.

 

[MartyOwns]

I agree. Bryce Salvador and dano should switch jobs

salvador and ruff should switch jobs

 

[jkrdevil]

I think they had more of an issue with that when they were calling the games from the studio instead of being there for the games, it happens a lot with Steve and Shep with the red bulls road games cause they are in the studio as well

This was problem pre-pandemic before calling games off monitor. I think because hockey moves at a much faster speed than soccer he was more focused on player and puck identification and would get tunnel vision of what was going around on the ice.

Steve was competent. He was Leah Hextall, who struggles to keep up with the play or Buccigross who makes the telecast about himself. He wasn’t upper echelon when it came to hockey either though.

 

[OmNomNom]

Okay...I completely forgot he actually called a game.

He sounded pretty decent.

don't think he did -- i assume it's just his audition! i hope the ambience makes him call better

 

[Guttersniped]

I will always remember Cangi losing it when we lost our challenge for goalie interference on this:



I assume NHL.com uses the Pens feed on the clips for this game because they didn’t want the play-by-play on some to mostly be Cangi going on and on about the definition of goalie interference (I think he quotes the rule book).

 

[Satans Hockey]

Okay...I completely forgot he actually called a game.

He sounded pretty decent.

don't think he did -- i assume it's just his audition! i hope the ambience makes him call better

This was just an audition, Cangi was on the original call for that game...

 

[OmNomNom]

This was the runner up apparently:

 

[glenwo2]

I will always remember Cangi losing it when we lost our challenge for goalie interference on this:



I assume NHL.com uses the Pens feed on the clips for this game because they didn’t want the play-by-play on some to mostly be Cangi going on and on about the definition of goalie interference (I think he quotes the rule book).

yeah...The Shield is always protected from being made to look bad (when it is). Pathetic of the NHL.

 

[BurntToast]

He has a ruggedness to his goal calls. It’s like going with the opposite style coach.

Dope.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

he’s got kind of a “regular guy” voice which, relative to other Devils announcers, will probably help him stand out oddly enough.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Cangi was so terrible, this guy sounds fine. Now Dano has to go. He is the worst Color Commentator in the league.

What would we do with all the memes at that point? It wouldn't be fair to the message board.

 

[JK3]

I like him, dude sounds perfectly fine, his voice sounds very similar to another play by play guy (maybe from another sport) but I can't quite place it. They could have picked someone waaaaay worse.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Really?

Jeff O'Connor already lives and works in New Jersey but this is the best the MSG bigwigs can find? At least Sam and Catherine now have company in the Mickey Mouse Club.

 

[OmNomNom]

Really?

Jeff O'Connor already lives and works in New Jersey but this is the best the MSG bigwigs can find? At least Sam and Catherine now have company in the Mickey Mouse Club.

who's jeff o connor

the mickey mouse club claim is kind of dramatic tho sheesh

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

who's jeff o connor

the mickey mouse club claim is kind of dramatic tho sheesh

Deleted

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

who's jeff o connor

the mickey mouse club claim is kind of dramatic tho sheesh

Jeff does the Princeton University games and the Devils Daily podcast.

Has probably done a hundred more hockey games than Spaulding and knows the Devils inside/out.

This was five years ago. Even better now.

 

[devilsblood]

M

Cangi had the unenviable task of succeeding an absolute legend in Doc, and while I found him kind of annoying at first he grew on me over the years.

Cangi was pretty dang good. Hope tue next guy can match him.

 

[devilsblood]

Jeff does the Princeton University games and the Devils Daily podcast.

Has probably done a hundred more hockey games than Spaulding and knows the Devils inside/out.

This was five years ago. Even better now.

You’re saying the Devils should have hired this guy?

 

[OmNomNom]

Jeff does the Princeton University games and the Devils Daily podcast.

Has probably done a hundred more hockey games than Spaulding and knows the Devils inside/out.

This was five years ago. Even better now.

he's good, but not for TV, and there's a LOT more than just calling the game. there's all the filler stuff they have to do between plays, and while i agree jeff's voice is good, i'm not sure if it fits for tv? who knows though, maybe he didn't want to do it, or he did try out for it and it wasn't good, or smth

 

[xigon]

He sounds a but like Ryan ruocco, the nets 2nd play-by-play guy. who is very solid but not elite. I think bill has a way to go before he can be as good though.

 

[My3Sons]

I like him, dude sounds perfectly fine, his voice sounds very similar to another play by play guy (maybe from another sport) but I can't quite place it. They could have picked someone waaaaay worse.

Like me for example:

Me: And Severson sails a home run pass from behind the goal line just past the outstretched stick of Jesper Bratt at the center red line. It will be an icing as Adam Fox touches up behind his goal line and they will face it off again in the NJ end. With that on the horizon we will be back after this from Fan Duel.

Mrs My 3 Sons: Will you shut up already. You aren’t broadcasting the game and I’m not going to let you watch if you insist on wearing a suit to sit in front of the tv and force the dogs to listen to you do this. They don’t like hockey. Now take off that broken headset and get the overflowing hamper in the bedroom and run the wash if you want to actually do something useful.

 

[glenwo2]

You’re saying the Devils should have hired this guy?

That makes me happy that the Devils hired Bill instead.