The play-by-play radio commentator called the Flames for more than three decades in a storied career that included the team's 1989 Stanley Cup victory, Calgary's run to the finals in 2004, and the full slate of the Canadian men's hockey team's 2010 Winter Olympics that ended in a gold medal.
Maher was known around Calgary for catchphrases like 'Yeah, baby!'
Andrew Jeffrey · CBC News
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The voice of Calgary Flames radio broadcasts for more than 30 years, Peter Maher, has died. He was 79.
Maher's death was announced on Thursday. He called 33 consecutive Calgary Flames seasons, after being hired as the team's play-by-play commentator for radio broadcasts in 1980.
During his hall-of-fame career that included the team’s Stanley Cup championship in 1989 and its run to the finals in 2004, his passion for his work and catchphrases like "Yeah, baby!" and "You can put it in the win column!" were well-known in Calgary.
He retired after the 2013-14 NHL season.
On Thursday, the Flames extended condolences to Maher’s friends, family and fans, noting his voice “became part of the soundtrack of being a Flames fan.”
“Peter’s legacy extends well beyond the broadcast booth," the Flames said in a press release.
"He was a passionate ambassador for the Calgary Flames, a devoted member of the community and a person whose warmth, generosity and love for the game touched countless lives."
WATCH | Maher was honoured by the Calgary Flames after a hall-of-fame career: Peter Maher tribute November 19, 2014| Duration 2:22
Born and raised in Campbellton, N.B., Maher called Toronto Maple Leafs games for the CKO Radio Network earlier in his career.
When an opportunity arrived to call the Flames after the team moved to Calgary from Atlanta ahead of the 1980-81 season, Maher moved out west to become the official voice of the team.
When Maher was interviewed by the CBC in 2018 about his memoir If These Walls Could Talk — Stories from the Calgary Flames' Ice, Locker Room, and Press Box, he discussed coming to Calgary in 1980.
"That's the best thing that ever happened. The rest is history," said Maher.
'We’ve lost this huge storyteller of the history of the Flames'
Rob Kerr, who worked alongside Maher in the Saddledome press box for years, said he was crushed to hear about Maher's death.
Kerr praised Maher's passion for his craft. He noted how seriously Maher took his responsibility to Flames fans when their games were more rarely televised and radio broadcasts were the lifeblood of the team.
“We’ve lost this huge storyteller of the history of the Flames,” said Kerr.
“You underestimated Peter Maher at your own peril, because he was truly a gifted broadcaster. He had an incredible centre in the sense that everything needed to be journalistic-based, it needed to be true, it needed to be authentic."
Kerr reflected on an example of Maher's care for his work during Calgary's 2004 run to the Stanley Cup Finals. When Martin Gélinas scored in overtime to eliminate the first place Detroit Red Wings and advance the underdog Flames to the next round, Maher let out a triple "Yeah, baby!”
The enthusiastic call received international media attention. But Maher worried his call had been over the top, Kerr said — so much so that the next day he apologized to Flames head coach and general manager Darryl Sutter.
“Darryl just chuckled and told him it was OK. He loved it,” said Kerr.
“Those [calls] were never lightly used, and he took that responsibility far greater than I would have and certainly far greater than I think the current generation does.”
More than the Flames
In Maher’s career, he also called six NHL All-Star games, the 2005 IIHF World Championship, and the Canadian men's hockey team's full slate of games at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which culminated in Sidney Crosby's iconic "Golden Goal."
Maher was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006 after receiving the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding work as an NHL broadcaster.
After his retirement in 2014, the broadcast booth in the Scotiabank Saddledome was named after him.
Maher also lent his name to an annual award that local media in Calgary present to the Flames player who best demonstrates his virtues of sincerity, integrity, dedication and respect.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Jeffrey is a multimedia journalist with CBC Calgary. He previously worked for CBC News in his hometown of Edmonton, reported for the StarMetro Calgary, and worked as an editor for Toronto-based magazines Strategy and Realscreen. You can reach him at andrew.jeffrey@cbc.ca.
With files from Rick Donkers
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