Duguay says MSG pulled plug on him
Ron Duguay wants the record set straight.
The former Rangers center says he was left in the dark over MSG’s reasoning not to bring him back as a studio analyst, and wants fans to know it was the network’s decision to end the relationship after 12 years.
“It’s been difficult for me as I walk through MSG or on the streets of NYC because while I was there for opening night for the whole week participating in events surrounding the start of the season, I’m having to answer to so many people as to why I am not coming back,” Duguay told The Post.
“The reason for that is that MSG was not clear to the fans and media on why I was not coming back. They made it appear like it was a mutual agreement and that I wanted to do other things. That was not the case at all.”
During the Rangers preseason, Duguay began tweeting to fans indicating that he would not return after they had noticed him absent from the coverage. MSG Network replaced Duguay, who worked 40-45 games a season, with a combination of Anson Carter and Dave Maloney to work alongside fulltime analyst Steve Valiquette and hosts Al Trautwig and Bill Pidto.
“We would like to thank Ron for his contributions to MSG Networks over the years, and wish him all the best moving forward,” an MSG spokesman said in a Sept. 20 statement. The network pointed The Post toward the same statement when contacted Tuesday.
Duguay said his contract was up with the network and the relationship was severed in a “two-minute conversation” between a network executive and his agent. A network source said Duguay was informed his contract would not be renewed.
“We asked repeatedly for an explanation as to why this decision was made and we have gotten nothing,” Duguay said. “Everyone has been led to believe it was a mutual thing or that I did not want to do it anymore. That’s not the case, and that is what is sad to me. I loved being an analyst and representing the Rangers on air.”