Vancouver Canucks fans mourning a voice they trusted following the passing of John Garrett

Sportsnet confirmed the news Tuesday, calling Garrett a beloved colleague, friend, and familiar Canadian hockey voice.

Garrett was not just another analyst.

He was "Cheech," the former NHL goalie who made viewers feel smarter without making the game feel smaller.

Garrett played between the pipes before moving into broadcasting after his playing career ended in 1985.

He later became a Canucks television constant for two decades, working beside voices fans trusted in living rooms across British Columbia.

The timing hits harder because he had stayed connected to national playoff coverage, not just nostalgia duty.

You can feel the shock in the official statement, then in Eric Engels' reaction, where disbelief comes through instantly.

Fans are right to feel rattled, because Garrett sounded like a hockey uncle who still saw the small tactical stuff.

He explained goalie depth, traffic, deflections, and man advantage reads without turning the broadcast into homework.

Modern NHL coverage can get loud, fast, and obsessed with instant judgment.

Garrett gave space to the play.

For the Canucks, his absence also protects a bigger truth about regional hockey.

A trusted analyst becomes part of a team's rhythm, especially when the blue line struggles or the goalie steals a night.

Garrett's voice carried losses, wins, rebuilds, and playoff hope with the same grounded touch.

That is why this is more than a passing note.

The next milestone is simple and emotional, the first big Canucks broadcast tribute will not just honour Garrett, it will remind everyone what hockey sounded like with him in it.

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