Peter McNab
Peter McNab | |
|---|---|
| Born | Peter Maxwell McNab 8 May 1952 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Died | 6 November 2022 (aged 70) |
| Other names | Maxy |
| Occupation(s) | Professional ice hockey player, color commentator |
| Years active | 1973–1987 (player), 1987–2022 (broadcaster) |
| Known for | NHL career with Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils; color commentator for Colorado Avalanche |
Peter Maxwell McNab (May 8, 1952 – November 6, 2022) was a professional ice hockey player of Canadian origin who later became an American citizen. His NHL career spanned 14 seasons from 1973 to 1987, during which he played for the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils. Following his playing days, McNab worked as a color commentator for the Colorado Avalanche from their first season in 1995–96 until his passing.
Amateur career
Originally from Vancouver, McNab relocated to San Diego, California at age 14, where his father was coaching the minor-league team San Diego Gulls. Though initially excelling in baseball, he attended the University of Denver on a baseball scholarship before transitioning to ice hockey, earning all-WCHA recognition in 1973. Selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1972 draft, McNab was among the pioneering NCAA players to make it to the NHL.
Professional career
During the 1973–74 season, McNab led the scoring for the Cincinnati Swords of the AHL and made his NHL debut with Buffalo, netting his first goal on December 15, 1973. He contributed to the Sabres’ journey to the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals. On June 11, 1976, Buffalo traded his rights to the Boston Bruins, where he experienced his most productive years. In his rookie season with Boston (1976-77), McNab tallied 86 points (38 goals and 48 assists) and earned a spot in the 1977 NHL All-Star Game. The Bruins advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in both 1977 and 1978. He achieved back-to-back 80-point campaigns in 1978 and 1979 and was the runner-up for the Lady Byng Trophy in 1978. Leading Boston in goals for three consecutive seasons through 1980, McNab recorded at least 35 goals and 75 points in six straight seasons from 1977 to 1983. Throughout his tenure with Boston, he notched seven hat tricks.
A notable incident occurred on December 23, 1979, at Madison Square Garden when McNab became involved in an altercation with spectators after teammate Terry O’Reilly climbed into the stands to retrieve a stolen stick; McNab stood up for O'Reilly during the confrontation.
On April 9, 1981, McNab became the first Bruins player ever to take a playoff penalty shot, which was saved by Minnesota North Stars goalie Don Beaupre. As of 2022, he ranks within Boston’s top ten all-time in goals, points, and playoff scoring. On April 11, 1982, McNab set an NHL playoff record by accumulating four points in a single period—a Bruins record that remains unbroken.
In 1984, McNab was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, where he played two seasons before joining the New Jersey Devils, managed by his father Max as general manager. He made his international debut representing the United States at the 1986 Ice Hockey World Championships held in Moscow. His playing career concluded after the 1986–87 season.
In recognition of his sustained offensive contributions and influence on American hockey, McNab was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2021.
Post-playing career
Following retirement from professional play, McNab embarked on a broadcasting career as a color analyst for the Devils during the 1987–88 season. After spending eight years with SportsChannel, he relocated to Colorado to cover the inaugural season of the Colorado Avalanche. His broadcasting credentials also include serving as a TV analyst for NBC during the Torino Winter Olympics in 2006 and for TNT at the Nagano Olympics in 1998. Furthermore, he acted as TSN’s studio analyst and host during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002.
On June 8, 2009, McNab signed a multi-year contract with Altitude Sports and commenced his fourteenth season as color commentator for Colorado’s NHL team during the 2009–10 season.
McNab earned great affection from Avalanche supporters, who nicknamed him “Maxy.” He provided commentary for twenty-seven years, including all three Stanley Cup championship victories by Colorado. After his death, Avalanche owner Stan Kroenke praised McNab’s dedication and significant influence on both the franchise and hockey’s growth.
In tribute to his legacy, the Avalanche named their broadcast booth after McNab in 2023.
Personal life
McNab belonged to a distinguished family deeply rooted in ice hockey. His father, Max McNab, achieved a Stanley Cup victory as a centre with the Detroit Red Wings in 1950 and subsequently took on roles as both coach and general manager. His brother, David McNab, dedicated 43 years to the NHL as a scout and executive, concluding his career in 2021 as the senior vice president of hockey operations for the Anaheim Ducks.
He was married to Diana and was the father of five daughters.
In 2021, McNab received a cancer diagnosis but maintained his position as the Avalanche’s color commentator during his treatment. By February 2022, he had reached remission. Unfortunately, the cancer returned while Colorado was defending their 2022 Stanley Cup championship, and McNab passed away on November 6, 2022, at the age of 70.
Awards and honors
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| All-WCHA First Team | 1972–73 |
| All-NCAA All-Tournament Team† | 1973† |
| San Diego Hall of Champions | 2004 |
- † (participation later vacated)
- Selected for the NHL All-Star Game (1977)
- Recipient of the Bruins three stars award in 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1981
- Inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2021
- Recognized among the Top 100 Best Bruins Players in franchise history
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1970–71 | University of Denver | WCHA | 29 | 19 | 14 | 33 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | University of Denver | WCHA | 38 | 27 | 38 | 65 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | University of Denver | WCHA | 38 | 32 | 40 | 72 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Cincinnati Swords | AHL | 49 | 34 | 39 | 73 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 1973–74 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 22 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 53 | 22 | 21 | 43 | 8 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 1975–76 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 24 | 32 | 56 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 38 | 48 | 86 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 1977–78 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 79 | 41 | 39 | 80 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 2 | ||
| 1978–79 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 76 | 35 | 45 | 80 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 74 | 40 | 38 | 78 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 2 | ||
| 1980–81 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 37 | 46 | 83 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1981–82 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 80 | 36 | 40 | 76 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 6 | ||
| 1982–83 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 74 | 22 | 52 | 74 | 23 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 1983–84 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 52 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 13 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1984–85 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 75 | 23 | 25 | 48 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 71 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 46 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
International
| Year | Team | Tournament | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | United States | WC | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Career senior totals | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||