Jim Robson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Robson speaking before the2014 Heritage Classic | |
| Born | (1935-01-17)January 17, 1935 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Died | February 9, 2026(2026-02-09) (aged 91) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupation | Broadcaster |
| Years active | 1952–1999 |
| Spouse | Bea |
| Children | 4 |
Jim RobsonOBC (January 17, 1935 – February 9, 2026) was a Canadian radio and television broadcaster who was the play-by-play announcer of theVancouver Canucks' games from 1970 to 1999.[1][2] Robson was considered a "legendary" Canadian broadcaster whose "voice was synonymous with the Vancouver Canucks for more than three decades".[2] He retired April 14, 1999.[3] Robson is a member of theB.C. Sports Hall of Fame, theCAB Broadcast Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the Order of British Columbia in 2011.
Robson started his career at the age of 17 covering senior men's basketball forCJAVradio station inPort Alberni.[4] In 1955, Robson started working forCHUB radio inNanaimo, where he covered theMann Cuplacrosse finals.[5]
By 1956, Robson found himself inVancouver covering theBC Lionsfootball team, theVancouver Mountiesbaseball team and the thenWHLVancouver Canuckshockey team onCKWX.[6]
When the Vancouver Canucks became anNHLexpansion team in1970, Robson moved toCKNW to announce the team's games; he was popularly known as the"Voice of the Canucks" for nearly three decades.[7] For the first seven years, he usually worked alone. For road games, he broadcast the game without acolour commentator and provided thepre-game, intermission, and post-game shows.[8] In 1977–78, he was joined by formerBC Lions player and broadcasterTom Larscheid.[5][8] From 1983–84 to 1987–88, his broadcasting partner was ex-CanuckGarry Monahan before Larscheid rejoined him in 1988–89.[9]
He also covered the Vancouver Canucks ontelevision broadcasts onBCTV,CHEK-TV andVTV from 1985–86 through 1998–99. From 1987–88 to 1993–94, Robson provided both radio and televisionplay-by-play for the Canucks on simulcasts, alongside colour commentators Monahan and Larscheid, andHowie Meeker joined him on both TV and radio in1985–86.[10]
Robson stepped down as the radio announcer for the Canucks in 1994 and moved to television full-time. His lastradio broadcast was game seven of the1994 Stanley Cup Finals between the Canucks and theNew York Rangers.[5] Robson served as the Canucks' TV announcer for five more seasons, working alongside colour commentatorsDarcy Rota (1994–95 to 1995–96) andRyan Walter (1996–97 to 1998–99). His replacement on radio wasJim Hughson,[11] who later moved to Rogers Sportsnet, and then to CBC'sHockey Night in Canada.[12] In his final year, Robson split television play-by-play duties with rookieJohn Shorthouse, who is now the announcer for the Canucks on TV and radio.[13][8]
Robson also worked forCBC'sHockey Night in Canada, mostly covering games inwestern Canada. It was forHNIC that he broadcast the Canucks' first NHL game, a 3–1 home loss to theLos Angeles Kings on October 9, 1970. His reputation as one of the top broadcasters in the business earned him assignments to cover theStanley Cup Finals in1975,1980,1982 (in which the Canucks faced theNew York Islanders), and1983.[14][15]
He also covered fiveNHL All-Star Games,[4] including in 1977 (Vancouver), 1981 (Los Angeles), and 1983 (Long Island).[16] He leftHNIC after the 1984–85 season, but had a couple of national TV assignments afterward; for CBC in the 1987 playoffs andCanWest Global for the 1988Smythe Division Final between theEdmonton Oilers andCalgary Flames.
Nationally, Robson is probably best remembered for his call ofBob Nystrom's Cup-winning overtime goal for the Islanders in 1980.[17][18] Locally, his voice is linked to every significant Canucks moment in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, particularly the1982 and1994 Stanley Cup playoffs.[19][20][21]
Robson was also well known for taking time to say "a special hello to all the hospital patients and shut-ins, those of you who can't make it out to the game", during each of his broadcasts,[3] both on radio and TV.[6][8] Robson was also known for his colorful descriptions of team uniforms and conversational approach to the game.[22]
Robson was awarded theFoster Hewitt Memorial Award by theHockey Hall of Fame in 1992, and was inducted into theB.C. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998 and theB.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.[6] In 2002, at theCanadian Association of Broadcasters annual meeting in Vancouver, Robson was inducted to theCAB Broadcast Hall of Fame.[23]
The broadcast booth atRogers Arena is named after him.[24]
Robson was appointed aMember of the Order of British Columbia (OBC) in September 2011.[25]
The pass, right on the stick ofTonelli. Coming in with Nystrom, Tonelli to Nystrom, HE SCORES! Bob Nystrom scores the goal! The Islanders win the Stanley Cup!
Babych, long shot.Potvin has trouble with it. Adams shoots, SCORES! Greg Adams! Greg Adams! Adams gets the winner fourteen seconds into the second overtime! The Vancouver Canucks are going to the Stanley Cup Final!
— The double overtime goal that advanced his team, the Vancouver Canucks to the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.[21]
He'll play, you know he'll play. He'll play on crutches. He will play, and he'll play on Tuesday night atMadison Square Garden; the game is over!
— The call as the final seconds ticked off the clock of Game 6 in the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. He was referring toTrevor Linden, who was very bloody after taking a high stick, which led to one of the most famous photos in Vancouver Canucks history, of Linden hugging Canucks goaltenderKirk McLean, with blood on Linden's jersey.[21][26]
Robson died at a care home in Vancouver, on February 9, 2026, at the age of 91.[27] He was undergoing treatment for cancer at the time of his death.[28]
| Preceded by | Canadian network television play-by-play announcer 1975,1980,1982–1983 (with Danny Gallivan in 1975, withBob Cole andDan Kelly in 1980, called the games fromVancouver in 1982) | Succeeded by |
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