John Garrett (hockey)
Encyclopedia
John Murdoch Garrett is a retired Canadian ice hockey
goaltender
and television sports commentator
.
affiliate before joining the Minnesota Fighting Saints
of the World Hockey Association
in 1973-74
. He would play with the Fighting Saints until leaving the team Feb. 25, 1976, three days before the franchise folded. 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. Currently, he still holds the record for the most wins by any goalie in WHA history. Garrett would also play for the Quebec Nordiques
and Vancouver Canucks
of the NHL before retiring.
John 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. 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.
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. In addition to HNIC, he also worked alongside Bruce Buchanan on Edmonton Oilers
television broadcasts
. 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
.
Since the 2002–03 season, Garrett has served as the colour commentator for Canucks games on Sportsnet Pacific, and Flames games for Sportsnet West. He also works sparingly for Hockey Night in Canada.
Garrett is usually refereed to as "Cheech" by his fellow broadcasters on Sportsnet because his mustache resemblances that of Cheech Marin
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
and television sports commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
.
Playing career
Originally selected in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Garrett played two years for the Blues' Central Hockey LeagueCentral Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
affiliate before joining the Minnesota Fighting Saints
Minnesota Fighting Saints
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 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and...
of the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
in 1973-74
1973-74 WHA season
-WHA awards:-See also:*1973 WHA Amateur Draft*List of NHL seasons*List of pre-NHL seasons*1973 in sports*1974 in sports-References:*...
. He would play with the Fighting Saints until leaving the team Feb. 25, 1976, three days before the franchise folded. He then signed with the Toronto Toros
Toronto Toros
The Toronto Toros were an ice hockey team based in Toronto that played in the World Hockey Association from 1973 to 1976.The franchise was awarded to Doug Michel in 1971 to play in the WHA's inaugural 1972–73 season...
, and would follow the Toros franchise when it relocated to Birmingham. In the final WHA season, Garrett was traded to the New England Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
, and would remain with the franchise when it entered the NHL. Currently, he still holds the record for the most wins by any goalie in WHA history. Garrett would also play for the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
and Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
of the NHL before retiring.
John Garrett was involved in one of the oddest scenarios in the history of the NHL All-Star Game. Replacing an injured Richard Brodeur
Richard Brodeur
Richard "King Richard, Kermit" Brodeur known to many as "King Richard", is a retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:...
, the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
only representative at the 1983 All-Star game
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
that year, John Garrett was voted the game's MVP. After Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
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 after the 1984-85 season and, after serving as the Canucks' assistant general manager for one season, began his broadcasting career in 1986-87. He worked as a colour commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...
. 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. In addition to HNIC, he also worked alongside Bruce Buchanan on Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
television broadcasts
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
. He left CBC in 1998 to join the fledgling CTV Sportsnet (now Rogers Sportsnet
Rogers Sportsnet
Sportsnet was launched on October 9, 1998 as CTV Sportsnet. The name was chosen to match the regional "Fox Sports Net" operations across the United States...
). He worked as a studio analyst on national broadcasts, as well as the colour commentator for the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
games on Sportsnet West. During the 1994 NHL Lockout, he briefly worked for United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
of Canada in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.
Since the 2002–03 season, Garrett has served as the colour commentator for Canucks games on Sportsnet Pacific, and Flames games for Sportsnet West. He also works sparingly for Hockey Night in Canada.
Advertising
Garrett is a host for a regular Safeway TV commercial, for the 'Safeway Score & Win product placements. In one he admits to preferring a red sauce over a cream sauce.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.Garrett is usually refereed to as "Cheech" by his fellow broadcasters on Sportsnet because his mustache resemblances that of Cheech Marin
Cheech Marin
Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
.