I'm a fan of London ATC. They do a very good job. But the ops tempo is different. Often night and day. But the controllers are very, very good. But NYC/ORD is a completely different scale.
One of my favorite radio calls from ORD approach in the late 1990's - "I don't HAVE TIME for read backs. Just listen up and DO IT!" And then he started giving non stop clearances for several minutes.
Actual runway availability in the NYC metro area for the airports listed would be 9-12 at any given time. Nine in the worst case, 10-11 the more typical availability.
Imagine dropping 2.3x Stansted's traffic flow between LHR and LGW, 9nm from LHR, and pointing the primary summer departure runway at LHR, and that's the JFK/LGA/EWR setup.
LAX has a better traffic flow. Often one check-in at FL180 and you're cleared to descend via the arrival, cleared the approach, tower at the FAF(expected, not assigned). About a dozen restrictions and speed constraints but it works for traffic from the east. North/west arrivals get dropped off on downwind for 24R(north complex).
The NYC area doesn't have that. As pilots we wonder why but I'm guessing the airspace restrictions, or traffic demands, make it very tough, if not impossible, to automate via STAR's/'descend via' arrivals. On a tough day NYC can be a nice professional challenge.
On Sully's event I immediately recognized the controller's voice. He's one of the very sharp guys. Nice, professional, cool, gets the job done. Non standard RT (oh, the horrors...) but it's not uncommon for U.S. pilots to say "nice job" when you're handed off, especially on tough days. They work hard and do a good job. It was interesting seeing the controller being interviewed and reading about the impact to him in the books that were written after the fact. Find his part of the story, it's interesting reading.