Peter McNab Obituary, Death – Peter McNab, a former NHL player who rose to fame as a Colorado Avalanche broadcaster, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday. He was 70. His passing was announced via a joint social media announcement from The Avalanche and Altitude TV. In the late summer of 2021, McNab claimed to be fighting cancer; however, in February of that same year, he declared it to be in remission. When the Avalanche defeated Tampa Bay to win their third Stanley Cup in June, McNab was a member of the broadcast crew.
Before the 1995–96 season, the Avalanche moved from Quebec to Denver, and the colorful McNab was there for essentially every step of the process. He witnessed the exploits of Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, and Peter Forsberg as well as the beginning of a new era with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. He also witnessed the famous and contentious games versus the Detroit Red Wings.
Despite his hockey prowess, Hall of Fame forward and current team administration Sakic stated in a statement that he will be remembered most for being a friend to so many people. “The entire McNab family has our sincere condolences on behalf of the Avalanche group. The loss of Peter is profound.
After excelling in his college hockey at the University of Denver, McNab played for the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils for portions of 14 NHL seasons. In 995 regular-season games over the course of his career, he recorded 363 goals and 450 assists. McNab helped the Sabres win the Stanley Cup in 1975, but Philadelphia won the six-game series in the end.
After finishing his playing career, McNab switched to broadcasting and started working as an analyst for the Devils before joining the Avalanche. Additionally, McNab covered hockey during several Winter Olympics.
Although McNab was raised in San Diego, he was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He spent three seasons with the Pioneers from 1970 to 1973, playing a part in Denver’s 1973 NCAA Division I championship game runner-up result. In 2021, he was admitted to the American Hockey Hall of Fame.
Forward This is a great loss for hockey. Former Avalanche Matt Duchene, who is now with Nashville, made a post on social media. “Pete was a great man who genuinely enjoyed the game. It was a pleasure to know him.”
The following joint statement was made by Josh Kroenke, president, and owner E. Stanley Kroenke: “Peter had an unmatched love for hockey and a talent for appreciating what makes it unique. He was fortunate to have been a necessary and important employee for our company for 27 years. We all started treating hockey with more respect as a result of his presence, expertise, and dedication to advancing the sport.
