Peter McNab
A cerebral center who became the voice of a franchise, bridging the Avalanche's on-ice brilliance to fans for nearly three decades.
1952–2022 (age 70)·Canadian-born American ice hockey player·Birthday: May 8·Baby Boomers
Biography
Peter McNab's hockey life unfolded in three distinct acts. Born in Vancouver, he chose to represent the United States internationally, a nod to his upbringing in San Diego. His 14-year NHL career was defined not by flash but by consistent, intelligent play; a 6'3" center with soft hands, he topped 35 goals five times, most notably during a potent stint with the Boston Bruins. After retiring in 1987, he found his true second calling. In 1995, he joined the fledgling Colorado Avalanche broadcast team, his insightful, warm commentary becoming the soundtrack for a generation of fans throughout two Stanley Cup eras. His voice, until his passing in 2022, was synonymous with Avalanche hockey, turning technical analysis into accessible storytelling.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Peter was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Peter Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Peter's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Scored 363 goals and 813 points over 954 regular-season NHL games.
- Recorded three consecutive 40-goal seasons with the Boston Bruins from 1976 to 1979.
- Served as the television color commentator for the Colorado Avalanche for 27 seasons, from the team's 1995 relocation until his death.
Did You Know?
His father, Max McNab, was also an NHL player and later served as general manager of the Washington Capitals.
He won a NCAA championship with the University of Denver in 1973 before turning professional.
Despite being born in Canada, he played for the United States national team in the 1981 Canada Cup.
“Hockey is a game of mistakes; the team that makes the fewest wins.”
