John Garrett, former NHL goaltender and longtime Canucks broadcaster, dead at 74

John Garrett, a fixture on Vancouver Canucks broadcasts for more than two decades and a former NHL goaltender, has died. He was 74.

Sportsnet announced Tuesday that Garrett died suddenly, and no cause of death was provided.

Garrett spent more than two decades as the colour commentator on Canucks regional broadcasts and was a regular presence on national NHL coverage.

He began his broadcasting career in 1986 with CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada before joining Sportsnet.

“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.”

Sportsnet said Garrett was “a beloved colleague, friend, and one of the most familiar voices in Canadian hockey,” adding he “brought insight, authenticity, and heart to every broadcast.”

The network said he will be remembered for his career and “the kindness and joy he shared with everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Born in Trenton, Ont., Garrett — nicknamed “Cheech” for his resemblance to mustachioed comedian Cheech Marin — played professionally from 1971 to 1985, including stints with the Vancouver Canucks, Quebec Nordiques and Hartford Whalers.

His playing career highlight came in 1983, when he was Vancouver’s lone representative at the NHL All-Star Game and appeared headed for MVP honours before Wayne Gretzky scored four times in the final 10 minutes.

“Cheech was a special person and an important part of Canucks history,” said Canucks president Jim Rutherford. “He loved this team and took great pride in sharing the game with our fans. 

"This is a very difficult loss for all of us, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”

Garrett formed a long-running broadcast partnership with play-by-play man John Shorthouse and host Dan Murphy on Canucks regional telecasts. 

He stepped away from a full-time role after the 2022-23 season but continued to appear on select Sportsnet assignments, including the first-round playoff series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth at the time of his death.

“John was everything you could ask for in a friend, a co-worker and a teammate,” John Shannon, a longtime television producer and on-air analyst, said on X.

“He did his job with the right level of professionalism, with gravitas and humour. He loved the Canucks, the Blue Jays and being a grandfather. Most of all, he loved his wife Sharon. He was the best of us.”

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck