From The Hockey News' Archive: Educational And Entertaining.
Welcome to this edition of "From The Archive". In this recurring series, we open The Hockey News' vault and display some of the top Vancouver Canucks related articles from the past. Today's article comes from Volume 79, Issue 11, where Ken Campbell wrote about the late great John Garrett.
Educational And Entertaining: Volume 79, Issue 11, May 22, 2026
INSIDE ALMOST EVERY GROWN man, regardless of the number of trips he’s taken around the sun, is a 12-year-old boy who is basically an immature idiot. And the more of them who are assembled, the more likely that pre-teen in an adult body is likely to emerge.
Such was the case with the Vancouver Canucks’ broadcast team of play-by-play man John Shorthouse, color analyst John Garrett and host/reporter Dan Murphy. Before Garrett broke up the band by going into semi-retirement three years ago, the three of them had spent as much time together on the road as they did with their families. None of them took themselves particularly seriously, but they took their craft seriously. But when it came to off-night dinners on the road, no holds were barred and no barb was too savage. “I think ‘Murph’ said the other day that we were all stuck at the same juvenile stage when it came to our senses of humor,” Shorthouse said. “We just had so much fun and enjoyed spending time together. We were more respectful on the air, but we had fun. But behind the scenes, it was anything goes. But there was always that level of trust that nobody was being serious.”
Garrett, a former WHL and NHL goalie, lover of hamburgers, fries and ketchup, master storyteller and all-around bon vivant, died April 27 at 74 in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was providing color commentary of Sportsnet’s coverage of the first-round playoff series between the Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights. Garrett’s death rocked the hockey world, but it hit particularly hard in Vancouver, where Garrett finished his NHL career and had spent the past four decades as one of the most respected analysts in the business.
Prior to being hired by former CBC Sports producer John Shannon in 1986, Garrett had a solid career, first in the WHA and then in the NHL after the remaining WHA teams were absorbed in 1979.
And his career produced some unforgettable moments and stories. While playing for the Quebec Nordiques, he was called into a game while eating a hot dog on the bench and played a period with the hot dog lodged in his pad. He played in the 1983 All-Star Game – despite the fact he had played only three games in Vancouver – after Canucks goalie Richard Brodeur had to pull out with an injury, and he would have won MVP honors if Wayne Gretzky hadn’t scored four goals in the third period. He joked about playing for the Minnesota ‘Folding’ Saints and briefly earned the nickname ‘Lotto’ for his 6.49 goals-against average in his final season with the Canucks.
HE WAS GREGARIOUS, HE WAS PLEASANT,AND HE HAD AN EASE ABOUT HIMSELF– John Shannon
After retiring from the Canucks following 1984-85, his hockey card the next season was embossed with “now assistant general manager.” But it was as a broadcaster that Garrett found his calling, becoming one of the first in a long line of former NHL goalies who became top-notch analysts. After his brief tenure in management with the Canucks, Garrett took up Shannon’s invitation to join the broadcasting world. “I remember I had a long discussion with him, and I said, ‘I don’t know why you’d go into hockey operations when you could have a lifelong career in broadcasting and not have to worry about getting fired,’ ” Shannon said. “He was gregarious, he was pleasant, and he had an ease about himself. He was just such a solid person, and he could speak the English language.”
Garrett became the Canucks’ analyst in 2002, working first with Jim Hughson and then Shorthouse in 2008. As a former player, Garrett had valuable insights but rarely got caught up in the minutiae of the game. He had a conversational style that was not condescending to viewers and meshed well with Shorthouse. “He was never technical, which was a huge advantage,” Shannon said. “That reflected John’s comfort in his own skin. He was always comfortable without being arrogant. He could shoot from the hip and laugh at himself, and you knew he was trying to make the game educational and entertaining without being supercilious.”
Those who knew Garrett maintain he was just as impressive as a person. Shorthouse recalled how Garrett was so proud of his children and grandchildren and how he would send Shorthouse the Sunday Sudoku from the Vancouver Province every week because Shorthouse didn’t get the paper. Shannon said he would occasionally get a note from Garrett in the middle of the long playoff slog telling him how the broadcast crew was dealing with the grind and what they needed to be their best. “I can honestly say,” Shorthouse said, “I’ve never heard anyone say anything disparaging about him.”
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