Posted on

Deb Placey Leaves MSG Networks, Devils Broadcasts

Longtime Devils television host Deb Placey is leaving MSG Networks to work for the National Hockey League.

Placey worked at MSG for 23 years, beginning with the network in 1995. She began with the Islanders and then joined the Devils broadcasts in 2011. Prior to her time at MSG, she worked NHL broadcasts on ESPN2 in the early days of that network.

She will be taking a job with the NHL, presumably with the NHL Network (although I have not heard anything concrete). She had already done some work for the NHL Network, co-hosting NHL Live with EJ Hradek for a time.

Her replacement has not been named yet. The rest of the Devils’ broadcast team of Steve Cangialosi on play-by-play, Ken Daneyko as color analyst and Bryce Salvador as between-the-glass reporter will remain intact.

MSG put out the following statement on Placey leaving the network: “After 23 years of being a fixture on MSG Networks broadcasts, Deb Placey is leaving the network. We would like to thank Deb for her dedication and hard work. She will always be a part of the MSG Networks family. We wish her all the best moving forward with her new opportunity at the National Hockey League.”

Posted on

MSG Network Releases Their Devils Broadcast Schedule; Salvador Joins Broadcast Team

MSG Network today released their schedule for Devils television broadcasts. They will handle 81 regular season games and three preseason games. Preseason telecasts begin September 20 with the Devils at the Rangers on MSG+. They will then show the Devils and Rangers from Prudential Center on September 23 on MSG+2, Devils at the Islanders on September 25 on MSG+ and the Devils at the Capitals on MSG+ on September 27. All of those games are 7 PM start times.

It is interesting there that only one preseason home game will be televised, as usually they do not televise road games outside of the game at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers. The Washington game will likely be the Caps’ broadcast feed.

For the regular season, all Devils games (minus October 17 at home against the Lightning, which will be on NBCSN) will broadcast on either MSG, MSG+ or MSG+2.

The game telecasts, the MSG Network press release says, will be presented by RWJBarnabas Health and the 30 minute pregame show will once again be “Holy Name Medical Center Devils Game Night.” The postgame show which follows will be “Devils Postgame Show Presented by JAG Physical Therapy” once again this year.

Ken Daneyko and Steve Cangialosi will return as color commentator and play-by-play man, respectively. Deb Placey will once again host the pre- and postgame shows and will be joined by a newcomer: former Devils defenseman and tenth captain in team history, Bryce Salvador.

Salvador replaces John MacLean, who joined the Arizona Coyotes as a coach this past summer.

MSG Network’s press release mentions that Salvador will, much like MacLean, only work home games (although there is the possiblity that he will accompany the crew to close road trips like Philly, Boston and Washington, like MacLean did in recent seasons).

Salvador retired from the NHL in 2015 following problems with concussions, but has remained active with the Devils alumni. The native of Brandon, Manitoba played a total of 14 NHL seasons with the Devils and St. Louis Blues. It is nice to see him back and I am sure he will be able to fill Johnny Mac’s shoes with professionalism and skill.