Al Shaver, renowned as the 'Voice of Hockey' in Minnesota and celebrated for his 26-year tenure as the announcer for the North Stars and three years for the Gophers, has passed away at the age of 96. Shaver died after a brief illness on Vancouver Island, as confirmed by his son, Wally Shaver. He was married to his wife, Shirley, for 67 years until her death in 2019. Over his career, Shaver was not only known for his distinctive broadcasting style but also for his deep love for hockey, having been a fan of the Toronto team and later the Vancouver and Minnesota Wild teams. His contributions to sports broadcasting were widely acknowledged, earning him the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. Shaver's legacy extends beyond his professional achievements; he was remembered by many as a pivotal influence in their lives and careers.
RIP Al. Great voice of the North Stars and a wonderful person who loved his family and hockey. https://t.co/qEYV1tY0dA
Thoughts on the passing of the great Al Shaver. https://t.co/EeSHCXhFpg
Longtime Minnesota hockey commentator Al Shaver passes away https://t.co/ppzoYq8ETE https://t.co/aYs01LaT3U
The voice of hockey in Minnesota Al Shaver has passed away at 96. >>https://t.co/aQw2N0vJ4F https://t.co/lABj5GFPUC
Shaver dies at 96, was 'Voice of Hockey' in Minnesota ⤵️https://t.co/WK7zmeAyxW
One thing about Al Shaver’s play-by-play capabilities is they went beyond the actual hockey game. He was phenomenal at calling fights. I mean down to the details of the punches and what type of punches. And this was in the day hockey fights that could go on for extended periods.
A few other Al Shaver memories: I spent much of my childhood wanting to get into the media and worshiped Al. My mom wrote Al a letter to ask if her son could watch Al work a game in the Met Center press box. Al not only said yes but couldn’t have been nicer. What a thrill.
This is what made him so great. It was clear he wanted the North Stars to win but the disgust in his voice when they didn’t perform was welcomed. https://t.co/YAsntwrJl1
As iconic as Mr. Shaver was for the Minnesota sporting landscape, I’m not sure his style would “fly” nowadays. If you didn’t have the pleasure of listening to his broadcast, let’s just say he was as blunt as necessary. He didn’t fill his broadcast with excuses like we get today.
Al Shaver, voice of the North Stars and Foster Hewitt Memorial Award winner, dies at 96 - The Athletic Hear from Wally Shaver, Lou Nanne and Tom Reid>>> https://t.co/JOJpOo8ZVi
Wally Shaver on his dad, Al: “Dad was an avid Minnesota hockey fan. I asked him the other day who his favorite team was nowadays. He grew up a Toronto fan and has followed Vancouver since moving to BC in ’98, but he said he’s always been a fan of the Wild. He really wanted to see… https://t.co/48eY1TDHRA
Al Shaver was a Minnesota icon and I can still hear his voice in my head https://t.co/eTyfTaEhRI
Just found out about Al Shaver's passing. One of the best hockey announcers to ever do it and an even better person. He might have been the biggest reason I fell in love with the North Stars. His goodbye to the franchise and their fans following the finale in 1993 was brilliant.
Al Shaver, the voice of the North Stars for 26 years and the Gophers for three, passed away after a brief illness Monday on Vancouver Island at the age of 96, his son, Wally, tells me. Al was married to his wonderful wife, Shirley, for 67 years until she died in 2019. They had 5…