Sportsnet analyst and former NHL goaltender John “Cheech” Garrett has passed away unexpectedly at the age of 74.
A colour commentator on Vancouver Canucks regional broadcasts for more than two decades, Garrett started as a player, initially drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 1971. He went on to play for the Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Canucks, before retiring at the start of the 1985-86 season.
He earned the nickname “Cheech” from former Minnesota Fighting Saints teammate Rick Smith in the mid-1970s due to his shaggy, mustached resemblance to Cheech Marin from Cheech and Chong.
Garrett made his broadcast debut on CTV as an intermission analyst, alongside Pat Burns, during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while still an active player with Hartford. He joined CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada during the 1986-87 season as a colour commentator, going on to serve as lead colour commentator on Edmonton Oilers broadcasts before leaving in 1998 to join Sportsnet where he was a studio analyst on national broadcasts and handled colour for regional Calgary Flames games. Garrett started as the Canucks colour commentator on Sportsnet Pacific in 2002-03, initially paired with Jim Hughson and later John Shorthouse. He retired from the Canucks regional broadcasts at the close of 2022-23 season. Most recently, he’d been serving as an analyst for the Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights first-round playoff run.
From John Garrett’s final #Canucks broadcast in 2023. Classy as can be. #RIPCeech pic.twitter.com/kwV9QR5i21
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) April 28, 2026
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Garrett’s sudden passing on Monday has left the National Hockey League family “stunned and saddened”
“Following a 13-season career as a goaltender in the WHA and the NHL, Garrett moved into the broadcast booth in 1986 and never left, contributing his encyclopedic knowledge and expert insight to national broadcasts on Sportsnet and local broadcasts for the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and, for two decades, the Vancouver Canucks,” said Bettman. “On a personal note, I always enjoyed catching up with John when our travels around the League intersected – as they did one last time on Friday night in Utah, when he broadcast the Mammoth’s first ever home playoff game. We send our deepest condolences to his family, his friends around the game and his many fans.”
Canucks Sports & Entertainment called Garrett “a cherished member of our family whose loss is deeply felt across our entire organization and community.”
“Cheech was a special person and an important part of Canucks history,” said Jim Rutherford, President, Hockey Operations. “He loved this team and took great pride in sharing the game with our fans. His personality, insight, and genuine care for the people around him made a lasting impression on our players, staff, and everyone who had the chance to work with him. This is a very difficult loss for all of us, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
