Legendary Vancouver Canucks broadcaster John Garrett has died at the age of 74.
Sportsnet announced on Tuesday that Garrett, who played as a goaltender before forging a career behind the microphone, died suddenly.
He played professionally in both the World Hockey Association and NHL from 1971 to 1985 and had spells with the Canucks, Quebec Nordiques and Hartford Whalers.
Garrett was selected to the 1983 NHL All-Star Game and came close to winning the MVP award before Wayne Gretzky scored four times past him in the final 10 minutes.
After retiring, Garrett spent 20 years as the color commentator on local broadcasts of Canucks games and also contributed to national NHL coverage. He started out in 1986 on CBC’s ‘Hockey Night in Canada’
In a statement Jim Rutherford, the Canucks’ president of hockey operations, paid an emotional tribute to Garrett. ‘He loved this team and took great pride in sharing the game with our fans,’ Rutherford said.
Legendary Vancouver Canucks goaltender and broadcaster John Garrett has died at 74
He walked away from a full-time role after the 2022-23 season and was given a huge ovation
‘His personality, insight, and genuine care for the people around him made a lasting impression on our players, staff, and everyone who had the chance to work with him.
‘This is a very difficult loss for all of us, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.’
During his commentary career, Garrett formed a partnership with play-by-play man John Shorthouse and host Dan Murphy on Canucks telecasts.
He walked away from a full-time role after the 2022-23 season and was given a huge ovation inside the Canucks’ at Rogers Arena.
Garrett continued to appear on select Sportsnet broadcasts, including the first-round playoff series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth at the time of his death.
‘The National Hockey League family is stunned and saddened by the sudden passing of John Garrett, whose astute analysis took fans — particularly in Western Canada — inside our game for the last four decades,’ NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.
‘Following a 13-season career as a goaltender in the WHA and the NHL, Garrett moved into the broadcast booth in 1986 and never left, contributing his encyclopedic knowledge and expert insight to national broadcasts on Sportsnet and local broadcasts for the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and, for two decades, the Vancouver Canucks.’
