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Calgary media members share tributes for Flames broadcaster Peter Maher

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Aug 13 2026, 10:51 pm
Calgary media members share tributes for Flames broadcaster Peter Maher
@NHLFlames/X

It was a sad day on Thursday, as we found out that longtime Calgary Flames broadcaster Peter Maher passed away.

Maher was a legend in Calgary, having served as the voice of the Flames for 33 years from 1980 to 2014. Many of his legendary catchphrases including “Yeah baby!” and “You can put it in the win column!” are and will continue to be remembered by Flames fans for years to come.

While Maher was a great broadcaster, he was always even more revered for what a kind and humble man he was. That’s been made even more evident by the amount of tributes that have poured in on social media.

“The biggest honour of my life was being given the opportunity to follow Peter’s footsteps, huge shoes that not I, nor anyone was going to be able to fill,” said Derek Wills, who replaced Maher as the voice the Flames on radio. “Not only was Peter a great broadcaster – a Hall of Famer who was THE voice of the Flames for generations of fans, but he was also a great person.”

Similar words were echoed by Pat Steinberg, who had the pleasure of working closely with Maher for several years.

“Pete was an incredible broadcaster, the best at his craft, and the most prepared and hardworking person I’ve been around,” Steinberg said. “Pete was also just a great man. A rockstar who carried himself like a teammate, friend, and mentor.”

Eric Francis, who has been a fixture in the Flames media community for nearly two decades, called Maher “as good a guy as there was.”

Dean Molberg, who spent plenty of years at Sportsnet 960 and now serves as a co-host on the Barn Burner podcast, summed things up perfectly.

“You won’t find anyone who was more universally loved than Peter Maher,” Molberg wrote. “Everybody loved Pete. Everyone. He made it impossible not to.”

That’s just a small selection of the many Flames media members who shared heartfelt words regarding Maher. Plenty of others that knew him over the years including Ryan Leslie, Brendan Parker, Ryan Pinder, Wes Gilbertson, Eric Duhatschek, and many more had similar messages about just how much Maher meant to them and the entire Flames community.

There were plenty of other media members from outside Calgary that made sure to pay their respects, as well.

“The Peter Maher Award says it all; sincerity, integrity, dedication and respect. Peter was that along with a passionate high energy Hall of Fame call,” said Chris Cuthbert.

Several Edmonton Oilers reporters who got to know Maher well over the years such as Bob Stauffer and Mark Spector also shared some kind words.

“Without question IMO Peter Maher was one of the greatest Calgary Flames of all time,” Stauffer said. “An absolute broadcasting icon in the province of Alberta!”

Tributes extended beyond members of the media, as many former Flames players shared their condolences, including the likes of Al MacInnis, Theo Fleury, Rhett Warrener, as well as a couple of recently traded players in MacKenzie Weegar and Blake Coleman.

“I had the privilege of playing for the Flames so Peter was the familiar voice throughout some very special years including our 1989 [Stanley Cup] championship,” said MacInnis. “Peter was a true professional and a good man. His voice will forever be connected to the history of the Calgary Flames.”

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There have also been countless amounts of fans on various forms of social media expressing just how much Maher meant to them.

It’s very evident that despite Maher’s passing, he has left behind an incredible legacy that will never be forgotten.

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