John Garrett (ice hockey)

Last updated
John Garrett
Born (1951-06-17) June 17, 1951 (age 71)
Trenton, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for WHA
Minnesota Fighting Saints
Toronto Toros
Birmingham Bulls
New England Whalers
NHL
Hartford Whalers
Quebec Nordiques
Vancouver Canucks
NHL Draft 38th overall, 1971
St. Louis Blues
Playing career 19711985

John Murdoch Garrett (born June 17, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and television sports commentator. He played in the World Hockey Association from 1973 to 1979 and then in the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1985. After retiring from playing he turned to broadcasting.

Contents

Biography

Garrett was born in Trenton, Ontario.

Playing career

Originally selected in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Garrett played one year for the Blues' Central Hockey League affiliate before joining the Portland Buckaroos of the Western Hockey League for half a season and then moving on to the Richmond Robins of the American Hockey League. He signed with the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association in 1973-74. He would play with the Fighting Saints until the franchise folded on 25 February 1976. He then signed with the Toronto Toros, and would follow the Toros franchise when it relocated to Birmingham. In the final WHA season, Garrett was traded to the New England Whalers, and would remain with the franchise when it entered the NHL. He holds the record for the most losses by any goalie in WHA history. Garrett would also play for the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks of the NHL before retiring at the start of the 85-86 season.

Garrett was involved in one of the oddest scenarios in the history of the NHL All-Star Game. Replacing an injured Richard Brodeur, the Vancouver Canucks only representative at the 1983 All-Star game that year, John Garrett was voted the game's MVP before the end of the game. After Wayne Gretzky scored four times in the last ten minutes, a re-vote was held and Gretzky was named the All-Star Game MVP.

Broadcasting career

Garrett retired before the 1985–86 season. He had been offered the position of assistant general manager by Canucks' GM Harry Neale, but Neale was fired and the offer subsequently withdrawn. [1] Garrett then began his broadcasting career in 1986-87. He worked as a colour commentator on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada . Within a few years, he was considered a valuable member of the team and was assigned his first conference final in 1991 — his first of eight in a row. During that time, he was also the lead colour commentator on Edmonton Oilers local telecasts, working along with Bruce Buchanan. He left CBC in 1998 to join the fledgling CTV Sportsnet (now Rogers Sportsnet). He worked as a studio analyst on national broadcasts, as well as the colour commentator for the Calgary Flames games on Sportsnet West. During the 1994 NHL Lockout, he briefly worked for United Parcel Service of Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Since the 2002–03 season, Garrett has served as the colour commentator for Canucks games on Sportsnet Pacific, first being partnered with Jim Hughson and later John Shorthouse. He also had occasional network assignments on HNIC and, since Rogers acquired the Canadian national contract for the NHL in 2014, he sometimes gets network assignments on either Sportsnet or City.

On March 23, 2023, Garrett announced his retirement from Canucks regional broadcasts at the conclusion of the 2022–23 NHL season. [2] [3]

Nicknames

After the 1984-85 season, Garrett earned the nickname "Lotto" because his high goals-against average of 6.49 was the same as Canada's national lottery, Lotto 6/49.[ citation needed ]

Garrett picked up his Cheech nickname from teammate Rick Smith in the mid-seventies. His afro haircut and moustache resembled Cheech from comedy duo Cheech and Chong.[ citation needed ]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLTMINGASOGAASV%
1969–70 Peterborough Petes OHA-Jr. 48285014232.9962403602103.50
1969–70 Montreal Jr. Canadiens MC 9713711903.07
1970–71 Peterborough PetesOHA-Jr.51306215152.9650322982204.43
1971–72 Kansas City Blues CHL 3513147204112133.55
1972–73 Portland Buckaroos WHL 176829515223.28.899
1972–73 Richmond Robins AHL 37213811703.263031231708.29
1973–74 Minnesota Fighting Saints WHA 4021180229013713.59.9037423722504.03.902
1974–75 Minnesota Fighting SaintsWHA5830232329418023.28.90512667264113.39.899
1975–76 Minnesota Fighting SaintsWHA5226224317917723.34.898
1975–76 Toronto Toros WHA93605513313.59.905
1976–77 Birmingham Bulls WHA6524344380322443.53.899
1977–78 Birmingham BullsWHA5824311330621023.81.8775142712605.76
1978–79 New England Whalers WHA4120174249614923.58.8748434473204.30
1979–80 Hartford Whalers NHL 52162411304620203.98.86510160808.00.800
1980–81 Hartford WhalersNHL54152712315224104.59.870
1981–82 Hartford WhalersNHL165648986304.21.872
1981–82 Quebec Nordiques NHL124537206205.17.8375323232103.90.866
1982–83 Quebec NordiquesNHL176829536404.03.874
1982–83 Vancouver Canucks NHL177639344813.08.90511060404.00.867
1983–84 Vancouver CanucksNHL2914102165311304.10.85120018000.001.000
1984–85 Vancouver CanucksNHL101504074406.49.819
1985–86 Fredericton Express AHL3210179903.02.894
WHA totals3231481511518,9191110143.52.894321515181612414.10
NHL totals20768913711,76383714.27.8669434613304.30.858

"Garrett's stats". The Goaltender Home Page. Retrieved 2017-09-22.

Related Research Articles

<i>Hockey Night in Canada</i> CBC broadcasts of the National Hockey League in Canada

CBC Television has aired National Hockey League (NHL) broadcasts under the Hockey Night in Canada brand that is primarily associated with its Saturday night NHL broadcasts throughout its history in various platforms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmonton Oilers</span> National Hockey League team in Alberta

The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which opened in 2016. Their current head coach Jay Woodcroft was hired on February 11, 2022, and Ken Holland was named as the general manager on May 7, 2019. The Oilers are one of two NHL franchises based in Alberta, the other being the Calgary Flames; their close proximity to each other has led to a fierce rivalry known as the "Battle of Alberta".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Canucks</span> National Hockey League team in British Columbia

The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Rick Tocchet is the head coach, Jim Rutherford serves as the president of hockey operations, and Patrik Allvin serves as the general manager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Hockey Association</span> Defunct ice hockey major league from 1972 to 1979

The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (NHL) since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926. Although the WHA was not the first league since that time to attempt to challenge the NHL's supremacy, it was by far the most successful in the modern era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Cole (sportscaster)</span> Canadian sportscaster (born 1933)

Robert Cecil Cole is a Canadian former sports television announcer who has worked for CBC and Sportsnet and former competitive curler. He is known primarily for his work on Hockey Night in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Fighting Saints</span> Former ice hockey team of the World Hockey Association

The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972 to 1976. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and played for part of the 1976–77 season. Neither edition of the franchise completed its final season of play.

Jim Hughson is a retired Canadian sportscaster, best known for his play-by-play of the National Hockey League. He was the lead play-by-play commentator for the NHL on Sportsnet from 2014 to 2021 and Hockey Night in Canada from 2008 to 2021. His career spanned 42 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Hrudey</span> Canadian broadcaster and former ice hockey player

Kelly Hrudey is a Canadian former National Hockey League ice hockey goaltender. He is a current hockey broadcaster with Sportsnet as an analyst for Hockey Night in Canada and the Calgary Flames as a commentator. During his NHL career, Hrudey played for the New York Islanders (1983–1989), Los Angeles Kings (1989–1996), and San Jose Sharks (1996–1998).

Harold Watson Neale is a Canadian retired NCAA, NHL and WHA coach and general manager, and ice hockey broadcaster.

John Cecil McIlhargey was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, and Hartford Whalers from 1974 until 1982. He featured in two Stanley Cup Finals with the Flyers.

Richard "King Richard", "Kermit" Brodeur, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Brodeur was born in Longueuil, Quebec and grew up in Montreal, Quebec.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Robson</span> Canadian sportscaster

Jim Robson OBC is a former radio and television broadcaster who was the play-by-play announcer of the Vancouver Canucks' games from 1970 to 1999.

Gregory H. Millen is a Canadian hockey commentator-analyst and a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons for six teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is currently a colour commentator on Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL on Sportsnet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Walter</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Ryan William Walter is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League. He won the 1986 Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Hirsch</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Corey Hirsch is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender, currently working for Sportsnet as a colour commentator on Vancouver Canucks radio broadcasts. He spent the majority of his National Hockey League career with the Vancouver Canucks. He is the former goaltending coach for the St. Louis Blues, having previously served the Toronto Maple Leafs along with Francois Allaire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Shorthouse</span>

John Shorthouse is a Canadian sports broadcaster based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is the lead play-by-play commentator for the Vancouver Canucks on Sportsnet Pacific television. He also calls select nationally-televised games on Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada.

Kenneth Richard Block is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 455 games in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and one game in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The 2013–14 NHL season was the 97th season of operation of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season features a realignment of the league's 30 teams from a six to a four division format. The regular season began October 1, and concluded April 13. The Stanley Cup playoffs began April 16.

References

  1. Reid, Ken (2014). Hockey Card Stories: True Tales from Your Favourite Players. Toronto: ECW Press. p. 64. ISBN   978-1-77041-197-5.
  2. Elliotte Friedman [@FriedgeHNIC] (March 23, 2023). "I am in shock as John Garrett announces this will be his last season doing Canuck regional games. Honestly, I love watching this broadcast crew" (Tweet). Retrieved March 24, 2023 via Twitter.
  3. "John Garrett announces this will be his last season in Canucks broadcast booth". Sportsnet. March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.