It’s been 70
years since Stan Fischler got his first paying job covering the NHL – and he’s
still at it on his 93rd birthday.
‘The Maven,’
who turns 93 on March 31, got started writing about the New
York Rangers in 1954-55. He began writing for The
Hockey News not long after when co-founder Ken McKenzie reached out to him.
Since then,
his career has earned him a place in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame
and the New
York State Hockey Hall of Fame, as well as the NHL’s Lester
Patrick Trophy in 2007 for outstanding service to hockey in the United
States. He also won seven Emmy Awards during his television broadcasting career
of more than 40 years, covering the Hartford Whalers, New York Islanders, New
York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.
The
Islanders, in particular, named its
press level at new UBS Arena after Fischler in October 2022, featuring a
collection of his articles, equipment and photographs. Fischler has also gifted
the Islanders his hockey library, featuring more than 90 books.
“Perhaps
the most astonishing – at least to me – aspect of this personal saga is that
I’ve never tired of talking or writing hockey,” Fischler
wrote in his birthday column on The Hockey News’ Rangers site on Monday.
Fischler
continues to cover the Rangers for The Hockey News, often writing multiple
articles daily.
“This man
is a phenomenon, plain and simple,” longtime New York Mets radio play-by-play
commentator Howie
Rose wrote on X. “However controversial and acerbic he might have
been during his career (might have?) his love for hockey always shone through.
Proud to call him a longtime friend who is worthy of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s
Elmer Ferguson award.”
Fischler thanked everyone for their birthday wishes as well.
“A million thanks to all for the happy birthday wishes,” he
posted to X. “It’s on to 94, but gotta enjoy 93 for a dozen months.”
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