Ray Ferraro announced on Chek TV’s Donnie and Dhali — The Team that he will be part of the broadcasting team for 22 Vancouver Canucks games this season, including Vancouver’s home opener against the Calgary Flames on October 9th.
“I’ll do the game in Seattle, go to Utah, do the game there, go back to the hotel, sleep, back to the airport, fly back to Vancouver, and then do the Canucks opener against Calgary,” he said. “In the space of 36 hours, I’ll do three openers, and that’s super fun. To start the season like that is pretty awesome.”
This is welcome news to a fanbase eager to hear Ferraro call games for Vancouver again. After the departure of legendary colour commentator John Garrett, or “Cheech,” Canucks fans were concerned about the idea of trying to replace Garrett, who had great chemistry with play-by-play man John Shorthouse. Dave Tomlinson and Ferraro stepped in to fill Garrett’s shoes alongside Shorthouse in the booth last season, and will reprise those roles again this year.
Ferraro called several games last year and quickly became a favourite in Vancouver due to his deep understanding of the game and quick, insightful analysis. His ability to explain complex plays in real-time has made him stand out among hockey analysts.
Ferraro has become one of the most respected voices in hockey over the last 20 years since retiring from the NHL in 2002. He has worked with several outlets, including TSN and ESPN/ABC, where he is currently a mainstay, while also covering select regional games for the Canucks on Sportsnet.
Born in Trail, BC, Ferraro’s ties to the province and Vancouver run deep. Despite being married to Canucks assistant GM Cammi Granato, and living in the city, Ferraro has previously claimed to be a fan of no particular team. A career in broadcasting favours impartiality, after all!
