‘Cheech’ to retire from Vancouver Canucks broadcasts
Posted March 24, 2023 7:14 am.
Vancouver Canucks fans are taking another ride on an emotional rollercoaster this season after a surprising announcement during Thursday’s home game.
The third period began with beloved television analyst John Garrett announcing this is his final season calling Canucks games alongside his friend and play-by-play partner John Shorthouse.
Thank you for everything, John Garrett @SNJohnGarrett | @Canucks pic.twitter.com/cxyZHrNqqd
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 24, 2023
Shorthouse and Garrett — John and John, as they are known — are unique. Outstanding professionals and close friends, their conversational style and banter, and ability to laugh at themselves while informing and entertaining their audience have carried broadcasts through the Canucks’ many challenging seasons.
First and foremost, he thanked the team around him.
“If you’ve been watching and listening for all these years, you know how much I have enjoyed my experience and the time doing this job,” said Garrett, 71, adding no other crew in the business compares to his colleagues at Sportsnet. “No matter what the situation, no matter what the time of day or night, they make you feel like you’re in the building.”
He also took a moment to praise his friends.
— Satiar Shah (@SatiarShah) March 24, 2023
“I’d like to thank John Shorthouse, Dan Murphy, and our producer, Greg Shannon. Your camaraderie and friendship will never be forgotten, and we will be lifelong friends. But most of all, I’d like to thank the fans whose unwavering support has lasted for these 20 years and beyond. Your enthusiasm and passion for the game, and for this team, will never be forgotten. We are all Canucks. Thanks.”
Garrett, nicknamed ‘Cheech,’ has held the position since 2002.
I’ve often heard Shorty say when out with Cheech on the road: “Who has more fun than we do?”
Nobody. I will miss seeing my friends together. Never another NHL broadcast duo like John Shorthouse and John Garrett.
— Iain MacIntyre (@imacSportsnet) March 24, 2023
And he isn’t just well known for his work behind the mic. Garrett had stints with the Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques before being acquired by the Canucks in 1983, spending three seasons in net for the team.
Garrett left the league in 1985 and shifted his talents to broadcasting working as a colour commentator on Hockey Night in Canada. He held the same role with the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers before joining Sportsnet more than 20 years ago, working on games alongside play-by-play legend Jim Hughson. He’s been paired with Shorthouse since 2008.
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.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 24, 2023
“Garrett has a larger-than-life, grandiose personality that has endeared himself to hockey fans for decades. Appreciated for his knowledge and loved for his passion of the game and Vancouver Canucks, John Garrett has become almost equally known for his quick quips, frequent food references, and love of ketchup over the years,” the Canucks said in a statement.
Garrett’s final Canucks broadcast will be on Apr. 13 when the team wraps up its regular season on the road against the Arizona Coyotes. His final home game will be on Apr. 6 when Vancouver hosts the Chicago Blackhawks.
As tough as this is, Garrett isn’t leaving the business entirely. “I will appear on some other Sportsnet properties,” he announced on Thursday.
It’s unclear who will fill his shoes.
