Canucks PA Announcer Al Murdoch All-Star Material in the Eyes of the NHL
By Greg Douglas
In his own words, Al Murdoch’s now-illustrious career behind a microphone began when he was six years old, riding his bicycle throughout the quiet streets of his Winnipeg neighbourhood.
“My Dad brought home a new transistor radio,” Murdoch says. “When the DJ came on, and I heard his voice, I thought he was speaking directly to me. It was an instant connection, and at that moment I knew I wanted to be on the radio.”
Never in his wildest dreams did the Vancouver Canucks PA announcer imagine the success story that would unfold in the years ahead.
“I realize it sounds redundant, but I honestly believe that I’ve been living out a dream,” Murdoch says today with an engaging smile that has become a permanent fixture.
As if his schedule isn’t hectic enough with season-long Canucks assignments from his broadcast perch at Rogers Arena, another 27 games in Abbotsford with the AHL Canucks and now the bulk of the Goldeneyes PWHL home schedule at the Pacific Coliseum, Murdoch is also the go-to PA announcer for NHL-produced games.
With the NHL bringing outdoor hockey to “The Sunshine State” for the first time, Murdoch recently returned to Vancouver from working the 2026 Winter Classic on January 2 between the New York Rangers and Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Then he immediately began making plans to return to Florida to be in Tampa for the Stadium Series involving the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins on February 1.
For the past six years Murdoch has been “the voice” of NHL productions that have included all-star games, awards presentations and the mammoth outdoor classics that are televised by Sportsnet and TVA in Canada as well as ESPN and TNT throughout the USA.
Through it all, he has managed to successfully run his own production company that provides radio and television image branding for international clients such as Ford, Nike, McDonalds and Bud Light as well narrating corporate videos and documentaries.
Murdoch’s broadcasting career in local radio included stops along the way as an all- night host at 97 KISS-FM, a weekend and evening swing announcer with CFOX, morning show host at CKLG and various roles with Corus Entertainment and CKNW. Along the way he landed the PA job with the Vancouver Grizzlies and when John Ashbridge began experiencing declining health in the fall of 2011, he invited Murdoch to share the Canucks in-house announcing chores. Ashbridge retired five years later and succumbed to cancer in 2018 at the age of 71.
“He was a huge mentor to me,” Murdoch says. “We knew each other for 20 years and hung out together away from the rink. I’ll forever be grateful for his friendship and guidance.”
It was at the end of August, 2025 when Al and his wife Chantel agreed it was time to leave their suburban life in Port Coquitlam’s Burke Mountain area and move to the “big city” where they’d be closer to their daughter Maddie. She lives in Kitsilano and recently graduated from university with a degree in English and creative writing.
“We’re not really downtown but close to Rogers Arena,” Murdoch says. “I’m going to be 60 in March and we have things we still want to do. Chantel and I love to travel and have been to France so many times we’ve often asked ourselves why we aren’t living there.”
Still an energetic member of the Canucks Alumni, Murdoch says he longs for the day to be part of a Stanley Cup parade in Vancouver. So many of his other dreams have come true, he hasn’t lost faith.
But he does admit the travel itch is beginning to show signs of a full-on rash.