John Garrett is leaving Canucks broadcasts after 21 years
John Garrett is hanging up his headset.
The beloved broadcaster announced Thursday night that after 21 years of calling Vancouver Canucks games on Sportsnet, he’s stepping aside after the regular season wraps up next month.
“Since 2002, I’ve had the privilege and honour to be the colour analyst on the regional Sportsnet Canucks broadcasts. This season will be my final time filling that role,” Garrett said.
While Garrett added that he’ll still appear on “some other Sportsnet properties,” this is an end of an era.Ā The 71-year-old former goaltender, along with John Shorthouse and Dan Murphy, has been a fixture on Canucks broadcasts for over two decades.
“If you’ve been watching and listening for all these years, you knowĀ how much I have enjoyed my experience and the time doing this job… I’d like to thank John Shorthouse, Dan Murphy, and our producer Greg Shannon. Your camaraderie and friendship will never be forgotten, and we will be lifelong friends.”
Thank you for everything, John Garrett šš@SNJohnGarrett | @Canucks pic.twitter.com/cxyZHrNqqd
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 24, 2023
“I’m still having trouble with it,” Shorthouse said on the broadcast, following Garrett’s announcement. “I’ve worked with some great partners, but I always think of you the same way you describe our late friend Jack McIlhargey: the best teammate I’ve ever had. I’m going to savour these last 12 games, and I’m going to cherish the memory of the hundreds, if not thousands of games that we have called over the years, so thank you.”
Garrett played 207 NHL games and 323 WHA games during a 13-year pro career, which included three seasons with the Canucks. He began working for Hockey Night in Canada in 1986, after his playing career came to an end, and left CBC in 1998 to work for Sportsnet, when the all-sports network first went on the air.
Garrett will wrap up his Canucks broadcast career with one final road trip, with stops in Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Arizona. His last broadcast will be on April 13.
“We want to thank John for two decades worth of entertaining and engaging with Canucks fans on regional TV,” said Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford. “Cheech has been a great ambassador for the hockey club, whether it was in goal as a player or in the broadcast booth as an announcer. His smart wit, sense of humour and an innate ability to break down the ins and outs of the game so effortlessly has made him a huge fan favourite. We wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
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