Chapter 1: What sad news do Mike and Jason share about John Garrett?
Good morning, everybody. It's 7.03 on a Tuesday. You are listening to the Halford and Brough Show on Sportsnet 650. We did the first hour of this show collectively here with a very heavy heart because we are made aware of some news that has now just been announced publicly. This is very sad news. It is going to come as a shock to everyone.
One of the most beloved figures in Canucks franchise history, John Garrett, passed away yesterday at the age of 74. Cheech, as you all know, and as he was affectionately known throughout his playing and broadcasting career, as I mentioned, a beloved figure in both Vancouver and across the National Hockey League. His time playing for the Canucks, his time as a broadcaster,
Sportsnet PR has just put forth the following statement, which I will read now. It is with profound sadness that 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. Cheech was a legend. His warmth, humor, 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.
John was 74 years old, and he worked hard. For his entire life, pretty much. He was supposed to do the game last night in Utah, but I think a lot of you probably noticed that it was not the Sportsnet feed, but it was the ESPN feed last night. Well, that's why. I first heard the name John Garrett when I was I was a young Canucks fan, still watching.
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Chapter 2: What memories does John Shorthouse share about working with John Garrett?
Started watching the Canucks in the 80s, and they had just come off going to the Stanley Cup Final in 1982. And they were not a very good team after that. John Garrett was one of the goalies on that team. And one of the famous stories was Richard Berder, who was... maybe the star of Vancouver's run to the cup final in 1982 was picked to go to the all-star game. He couldn't make it.
So John Garrett filled in and he goes to the all-star game and he plays really well. And everyone thinks he's going to be the MVP. And then Wayne Gretzky goes out and scores four goals. and Wiener gets the car for, uh, for being MVP. And I know John liked to tell that story and, you know, John was, um,
I mean, he was such an interesting character in the game because he played in an era that a lot of young people wouldn't recognize now. You know, he played for teams like the Kansas City Blues, the Portland Buckaroos, the Minnesota Fighting Saints, the Toronto Toros, the Birmingham Bulls, the New England Whalers. He played with Gordie Howe.
And, you know, famously got the assist on Gordie Howe's last goal of his career. Or did he officially get the assist?
Yeah, it was announced during the 2025 Stanley Cup final that Cheech got one of the assists on Gordie Howe's last ever goal in the National Hockey League.
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Chapter 3: How did John Garrett's broadcasting career begin?
I'm very upset right now, but just talking about Cheech brings a smile to my face. And I think that's how a lot of people are going to be feeling today. Very sad and very upset. But then remember what John Garrett brought to the broadcast, brought to Canucks fans. I mean, his chemistry with Shorty, with Murph, with pretty much everyone. he did a broadcast with was terrific.
He was such a humble guy and, um, you know, he was funny, but he, he, he loved, he loved the game of hockey and he was in it for his entire life.
John Garrett, again, affectionately known as Cheech, was born in 1951 in Trenton, Ontario. 20 years later, he was drafted by the St. Louis Blues and that set him off on a hockey odyssey that really defined his life. And for a lot of Canucks fans, defined their fandom for the better part of 20 plus years.
He joined the organization in 1983, played for a couple years at the Canucks, and then something a lot of people might not remember, had a very, very brief tenure as Canucks assistant general manager when he was given the title or offered the job shortly after retirement by Harry Neal. And that job was then rescinded when Harry Neal was fired as the general manager.
And that set off Cheech into this wonderful, wonderful career that he had as a broadcaster. Truly the everyman in the booth. Connected with so many people because he had such a wealth of knowledge about the game and could speak on it with the kind of expertise yet didn't ever come across as someone that was above the people that were listening to him call a game.
People loved how self-deprecating he could be, his quick turn of phrase, his sense of humor. Yeah. he was truly every man broadcaster and getting to listen to him for the better part of 20 years, call Canucks games and some of the unforgettable quips and moments and lightheartedness. And, you know, as we were coming along in this industry, uh,
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Chapter 4: What made John Garrett a beloved figure in Vancouver sports?
we always took the tact of let's have some fun with this and let's make sure that we're having a laugh along the way because while we're taking this seriously and this is our careers, this is also a lot of fun.
Yes.
And I don't think anyone ever truly embodied the spirit of having a good time doing your job more than Cheech did throughout his 20-plus years, especially calling Canucks games. When you heard him and Shorty and Murph, that trio... on the road together, you had the feeling that there were three guys that might have been having the time of their lives at work. And not a lot of people can say that.
Not a lot of people can say that they are having their best time and living their best life while at work.
Yeah.
But those three together... carved such a unique identity as broadcasters and friends and guys that really cherish what they got to do for a living.
And I think that if anything, when we talk about the legacy, John Garrett's going to live behind, leave behind, it's that he truly appreciated what the game gave him, but he breathed every bit of life back into it by sharing the love that he had for hockey and for the teams that he played for. And specifically, and I want to hammer this home. For the Vancouver Canucks.
Yeah, he was a Canuck at heart.
Because this is an organization that has a lot of unbelievable broadcasters that have come through. Jim Robson, John Shorthouse, John Garrett, Jim Hewson. There are no shortage of unforgettable voices, but Cheech is right there among giants because of his personality, his knowledge of the game, but I think most importantly, how much love he had for it and how much fun he had doing it.
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Chapter 5: How did John Garrett connect with fans during broadcasts?
But my heart goes out to Shorty and Murph. And everyone that got to know him on the Sportsnet broadcast team, you know, Halford, you were talking about how much fun they would have on the road. I can't imagine all the times that those three were together, Shorty, Murph, and Cheech, and maybe a few others. But those three... And laughing and laughing so hard that they were crying.
And I was always a bit jealous of all the fun they would have on the road out together. And I think their friendship and the fun that they had came through on the broadcast. And you would hear people even out of market that would watch a Canucks game and they'd be kind of like... almost like not in on the joke. Like, what's going on here?
That's a great way of putting it.
Like, why is it funny every time they talk about groceries or something like that? Do you know what I mean? I know. And, you know, you could tell the few times where maybe they had to turn their mics off because they were laughing so hard. And, you know, that's a great way to go through life is to have a job, Be really good at it, but have fun at the job and not take yourself too seriously.
You want to take the job seriously because it's respectful to take the job seriously, but not yourself. And by not taking yourself too seriously, you actually do a better job
And, um, yeah, I mean, we've, you know, I was, I was listening to, to Cheech on the, uh, on the broadcast in Utah and he had, he had great chemistry with Harn Orion and, uh, um, you know, I was looking forward to hearing him last night and then, uh, you know, we, we heard this news yesterday.
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Chapter 6: What unique stories highlight John Garrett's character?
Um, and then we had to come into the show and do the first hour knowing this and, um, You know, we've done that before. It's difficult, but, you know, we're not... This isn't about us. This is about Cheech's family, but this is also about... You know, everyone that grew to love this guy and everyone who hears his voice and thinks about watching a Canucks game and enjoying a Canucks broadcast.
And this is also about you, the fans and the listeners who are probably hearing this news for the first time. If you want to weigh in with any of your thoughts, emotions, memories, tributes, anything about Cheech, text in now, 650-650. For those of you that are just getting up to speed or perhaps just joining the program, we do have some incredibly sad news to pass along from this morning.
John Garrett, longtime Canucks color analyst and one of the most beloved figures in Vancouver Canucks franchise history, Passed away suddenly yesterday at the age of 74. Again, I just want to reiterate and read what Sportsnet has put out, both on behalf of the company and behalf of Cheech's family.
It is with profound sadness that 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. Cheech was a legend. His warmth, humor, 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 that he shared with everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. John will be missed immensely. Our deepest condolences are with his families and loved one.
Most of you listening right now will remember and have your fondest memories of Cheech as a broadcaster, which is what you were just talking about, especially with the triumvirate of him and Shorty and Murph. Cheech began his broadcasting career during the 1986-87 season as a color commentator on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.
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Chapter 7: What impact did John Garrett have on his colleagues?
That's where Cheech got his start. He had stints as the lead color guy for Edmonton and for Calgary. And then he joined a tiny upstart company called CTV Sportsnet in 1998, which would later become Rogers Sportsnet, and became, for a lot of people, especially from our vintage, the definitive voice in that color chair of the Vancouver Canucks.
His partnership with John Shorthouse is one that a lot of people hold near and dear. He was on the call for some truly unforgettable games for the Vancouver Canucks. Larger than life personality for a guy that was often known for his diminutive frame in net. He became known for his quick quips, his ability to play off whomever was in the lead chair as the play-by-play man.
And sometimes just saying, yes.
Yes. Wow. Yes.
When the quick quips didn't come.
Yeah. And I got to know Cheech a little bit over the last 10 or so years.
Yeah.
And he was always wanting to be around the game. Always had a love and a curiosity for it to the point where he was still working right up until the time of his passing. You know, Cheech served as the lead color commentator for Connect Games on Sportsnet Pacific. As I mentioned, the partnership started with Houston and then moved to John Shorthouse.
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Chapter 8: How is John Garrett being remembered by the community?
And even after he was done calling Canucks games on the regular, was still doing playoff series and still doing games as much as he could because he brought that personality and passion and love for the game. And again, I can't stress this enough.
What a treat and joy it was to watch someone who worked with the amount of fun and the amount of pride and pleasure he took in getting to do something that where he got to work in the game that gave him a lot and also got to connect with a lot of fans.
Got to bridge that gap between what you were seeing from NHL players to, you know, this phrase was often uttered in trying to describe Cheech, like the everyman and the common man broadcaster. Yeah. The way he was able to connect with a lot of different people. It was truly a special thing.
A lot of you texting in with your condolences. Landon on the island, win or lose, Cheech made every game he worked on enjoyable. I'll be enjoying an extra helping of ketchup on my eggs this morning. Rest in peace, Cheech. Jordan writes in and said, Cheech and Shorty felt like extended family. That's what the best broadcasters feel like. and we also lost Jim Robson not too long ago.
I mean, Cheech is up there, and the personalities that have defined the Canucks over the last half a century, and there have been some trying moments on the ice, also some joy, but a lot of trying moments, and the very least we had great broadcasters and we had great personality and you know Jim Robson had his own style and Cheech had his own style and I think the you know John's style was
was really perfect for Shorty and Murph. Because those are two guys that love to have a good time. They love to joke around. But they're also very good at their jobs. Yes. You know, and I think, you know, there's maybe sometimes a feeling like you can't joke around and also be serious at your job. Yeah, you can. Yeah. Yeah, you can. And I think that was proof.
And, you know, the little things that you have to do as a job, you do them and you take them seriously.
Yeah.
And you don't slough them off. But... Overall, you have to remember that you are there to inform and entertain the people watching the games. And John Garrett did a great job of that. You know, he wasn't just a sports knower. He didn't just know stuff about sports. He had great stories to tell, you know, because he had a very unique career.
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