Al Shaver obit

Al Shaver, voice of the North Stars and Foster Hewitt Memorial Award winner, dies at 96

 

He was not on the list.

The legendary Al Shaver, the beloved radio voice of the North Stars during the franchise’s 26 years in Minnesota, died Monday after a brief illness on Vancouver Island, B.C., at the age of 96, his son Wally, the longtime play-by-play radio voice of the Gophers, told The Athletic on Wednesday.

Born in London, Ont., Shaver was a play-by-play announcer for radio and television stations in Guelph, Ont., Calgary and Medicine Hat, Alta. It was in Medicine Hat where he met his wife, Shirley. They were married for 67 years until Shirley died in 2019.

Shaver’s broadcasting career continued in Edmonton, where his five children were born. The family moved frequently throughout Shaver’s broadcasting career across Canada from Edmonton to Montreal, to Tecumseh, Ont., then Windsor, Ont. and finally, Toronto.

“After moving four years in a row, I finally told Mom just to keep the boxes packed because we’d probably be moving again,” Wally Shaver said. “Dad said the move to Minnesota would be our last for a long time and we were very grateful for that.”

In 1967, Shaver was offered the position as the radio broadcaster for the NHL expansion North Stars calling games on WCCO Radio and later KSTP-AM and WAYL-AM.

Lou Nanne, the former North Stars player, coach and general manager, told The Athletic on Wednesday that North Stars founder Walter Bush had his heart set on hiring another broadcaster when he suddenly pivoted to Shaver at the last second.

“At the last minute of the last day, Al’s tape came in, Walter listened and changed his mind,” Nanne said. “Al was the best. He was an unbelievable broadcaster. He painted a picture like you’d think you’re there, and he lived and died with the team. But he didn’t sugarcoat it. If you weren’t good, or if the team wasn’t good, he let you know. He wasn’t a homer. He was so well-respected. Just so talented and so good at what he did.”

Shaver joined the North Stars broadcast team for their inaugural 1967-68 season and was behind the mic for all 26 seasons, choosing not to move with the team to Dallas in 1993. He broadcast Gophers men's hockey games for three seasons before retiring in 1996; the press box at Xcel Energy Center bears his name. His son, Wally, has been a longtime Gophers announcer as well.

Shaver received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 1993 and is a member of the media section of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. He is also a member of the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

He was born on Oct. 25, 1927 in London, Ontario, and attended the Lorne Green School of Radio Arts in Toronto, graduating in 1948 before starting his play-by-play career. While working in Medicine Hat, Alberta, he met his wife, Shirley; they were married for 67 years until her death in 2019.

The Shavers had five children in Edmonton, Alberta, as he worked across Canada before landing the North Stars gig. The team was heard on WCCO Radio, then KSTP and WAYL.

Shaver is survived by sons Wally, Jim and Gary and daughters Judy and Sue; nine grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-granddaughters.