Iconic Calgary Flames announcer Peter Maher dead at 79

Peter Maher dropped his iconic catchphrase one last time on Wednesday.

If Calgarians were lucky enough to be listening to QR 770 as Jock Wilson interviewed the iconic voice of the Flames, they were blessed to hear the broadcasting legend deliver his famous line as the two longtime friends wrapped up their on-air conversation.

On Thursday afternoon, the Flames sadly announced that the 79-year-old had died.

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The news was rightfully met with a flood of grief from around Calgary and the hockey world. Maher was much more than just a broadcaster.

His voice boomed out of radio speakers during Flames games from the day the team moved from Atlanta to Calgary in 1980 and for 33 more seasons after that. It was his voice that was on the air when the Flames won the Stanley Cup in 1989. He also called the team’s magical run to the 2004 Finals and so many special moments in Flames history before and after.

“I think having the right broadcasters is incredibly important in establishing your franchise,” said broadcaster Derek Wills, who succeeded Maher on radio broadcasts in 2014. “The fact that the Flames had Peter Maher as the voice of the team, I think it really did help establish the team in the city of Calgary and for so many fans, Peter is one of the reasons why the Flames are so special to them, because of the memories he created, the memories he shared with them.”

He called six NHL All-Star games, four Stanley Cup Finals, the 2005 IIHF World Championship and every Canadian men’s game at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

He was respected by everyone in the sports industry, earning an induction to the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame, in 2006, after receiving the 2006 Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for his work as an NHL broadcaster.

Even after retirement, Maher’s influence on the Flames community could be felt in and around the Saddledome. Every year, the local media group presents the Peter Maher Award to the player who best demonstrates sincerity, integrity, dedication and respect. All of those were Maher’s virtues. The radio broadcast booth at the Saddledome is also named after him, a testament to not just his longevity but also the care he took with his craft.

“He was an artist,” said Rob Kerr, a longtime broadcaster who worked with Maher for years beginning in 2003. “It was non-negotiable with Pete the way he approached his work and how a broadcast should operate. To his dying breath, he was the biggest proponent of radio broadcasts.

“To me, he was an artist. He painted with words. You felt every hit, every shot, right through the speakers.”