May 1, 2023
With the New Jersey Devils still in contention in this year's
NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, we turn the dials on our George Michael
Sports Machine back to the late 1970s/early 1980s with
hockey historian Greg Enright ("Rocky Hockey: The Short but Wild Ride of
the NHL's Colorado Rockies") - for a deep dive into
the Newark, NJ-based
franchise's tenuous six-year incarnation as Denver's Colorado
Rockies (1976-82).
It's a story that traverses four separate owners, six different coaches, a constant threat of relocation, a terrible lease arrangement in a state-of the art (McNichols) arena, one meager (1978) playoff appearance (despite finishing 21 games under .500), an iconic logo - and a bombastic (1979-80) season full of sour "Grapes."
If you consider yourself a fan of the Devils or even today's Colorado Avalanche, you'll love Enright's book - and this conversation!