Longtime NHL Broadcaster John Garrett Has Passed Away at 74
While fans have always enjoyed watching all the sports action on ice, it’s also the voices of the game that can keep us riveted on the edge of our seats. Sadly, one of hockey’s former players and beloved broadcasters for several decades has suddenly passed away. On Tuesday it was confirmed that longtime NHL broadcaster John Garrett has passed away at 74.
There has been no mention of the cause of death. Garrett’s passing has just been described as sudden and unexpected. Garrett had been a color commentator for the past 40 years, and a former NHL goalie.
Nonetheless, the Vancouver Canucks immediately took to social media to remember and say a few words for “Cheech.” The organization said, “Canucks Sports & Entertainment is heartbroken by the sudden passing of John Garrett, a cherished member of our family whose loss is deeply felt across our entire organization and community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to John’s family, friends, and all who knew and loved him. He will be deeply missed. Forever a Canuck.”
As news of Garrett spread and not long after the Canucks’ posting, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman released the following statement:
“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.
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.”
The National Hockey League Alumni Association also released a statement on the career and accomplishments of John. The Association mentions,
“From Trenton, Ontario, Canada, John’s professional hockey journey began after the St. Louis Blues drafted him in the 1971 NHL amateur draft, joining the Blues’ affiliate club in Kansas City the following season.
John joined the World Hockey Association (WHA) ahead of the 1973-74 season, playing 323 regular-season games in the WHA before his Hartford Whalers joined the NHL in 1979.
On October 11, 1979, John made his NHL debut, with the Whalers taking on the North Stars at the Metropolitan Sports Center. John played parts of three seasons with Hartford before joining the Quebec Nordiques in January 1982, and later played with the Vancouver Canucks over parts of the following three seasons, concluding his NHL playing career.
John began his broadcasting career shortly thereafter, becoming a colour commentator for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada in 1986. Now 16 years into his broadcasting career, John returned to Vancouver as the primary colour commentator for regional games, and proudly served in the role until the conclusion of the 2022-23 NHL season.”
Longtime NHL Broadcaster John Garrett Has Passed Away at 74
John Garrett was warmly nicknamed “Cheech” due to his physical resemblance to comedian Cheech Marin of the famous Cheech & Chong comedy duo. The nickname was specifically coined by his teammate Rick Smith in the mid-1970s. Mainly due to Garrett’s bushy mustache and hair, which mirrored that of the comedian.
Furthermore, although Garrett stepped away from a full-time broadcast role after the 2022-23 season; he still 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. Garrett truly LOVED the game. Moreover, John will be forever remembered for his pure excitement for hockey, his kindness, and his infectious sense of humor. We send our deepest condolences to John’s family, friends, and former teammates.
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