Longtime HNIC, Canucks broadcaster Garrett passes away at 74

Former National Hockey League goaltender and longtime Hockey Night in Canada analyst John Garrett has passed away, Rogers Sportsnet announced on Tuesday.

The native of Trenton, Ont. was 74.

Garrett had been serving as the analyst for the Utah Mammoth-Vegas Golden Knights first-round playoff series.

“It is with profound sadness we share the news of the sudden passing of John Garrett, a beloved colleague, friend, and one of the most familiar voices in Canadian hockey,” Sportsnet said in a statement. “‘Cheech’ was a legend.

“His warmth, humour, and genuine love for the game endeared him to fans and colleagues alike. He brought insight, authenticity, and heart to every broadcast. He will be remembered not only for his remarkable career, but for the kindness and joy he shared with everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. John will be missed immensely. Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones.”

The 38th overall selection of the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft by the St. Louis Blues out of the Ontario Hockey League’s Peterborough Petes, Garrett went on to appear in 207 NHL games over six seasons with the Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks from 1979 to 1985. Garrett was an All-Star in 1983. He finished his career with a record of 68-91-37 with a goals against average of 3.47 and a save percentage of .866.

Garrett also played for six seasons in the World Hockey Association for the Minnesota Fighting Stars, Toronto Toros, Birmingham Bulls and New England Whalers.

Garrett is fondly remembered for his lengthy broadcasting career, joining Hockey Night in Canada in 1986. Along with his national work, Garrett served as colour man for local Edmonton Oilers broadcasts. Jumping from the CBC to Sportsnet in 1998, Garrett worked national games, as well as Calgary Flames broadcasts.

In 2002, Garrett became the Vancouver Canucks primary analyst, a role he served in for over two decades alongside play-by-play men Jim Hughson and John Shorthouse. With Sportsnet taking over production of Hockey Night in 2014, Garrett returned to select weekly west coast games and playoff broadcasts.

“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.

“On a personal note, I always enjoyed catching up with John when our travels around the League intersected – as they did one last time on Friday night in Utah, when he broadcast the Mammoth’s first ever home playoff game. We send our deepest condolences to his family, his friends around the game and his many fans.”