Shaver dies at 96, was radio voice for Minnesota North Stars

Al Shaver, a media honoree in the Hockey Hall of Fame and longtime radio voice of the Minnesota North Stars, has died at the age of 96.

Shaver was the 1993 recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in recognition of those in radio and television who made outstanding contributions to their profession and hockey as selected by the NHL Broadcasters' Association. He is also a member of the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame for his contributions with the North Stars from 1967 until the franchise relocated to Dallas in 1993. He went on to call men's hockey games at the University of Minnesota until retiring in 1996 after 48 years in broadcasting.

Shaver graduated from the Lorne Greene Academy of Radio and television arts in Toronto in 1948 and worked as a morning talk show host and baseball play-by-play announcer in Guelph, Ontario, Calgary and Medicine Hat, Alberta. He called the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League beginning in 1952 and handled five Gray Cup championship games for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Following stints in Montreal and Toronto during the 1960s, Shaver arrived in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. He is a 10-time Minnesota Sportscaster of the Year and a 2003 inductee into the Pavek Museum of public broadcasting.

His son, Wally, is the current voice of the Golden Gophers hockey program.

The Al Shaver Press Box at Xcel Energy Center, home of the Minnesota Wild, is named in his honor. Shaver called the final game in North Stars history and signed off with the "Last Call" after a 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on April 15, 1993.

"The Stars lose it here, 5-3, and now it's pack-'em up time and on to Dallas," Shaver announced. "We wish them good luck. And to all the North Stars over the past 26 years, we say thank you, all of you, for so much fine entertainment.

"It's been a pleasure knowing you. Minnesota's loss is definitely a gain for Dallas, and a big one. We thank you, though, from the bottoms of our hearts, for all the wonderful nights at Met Center, when you've given us so much entertainment and you've been such a credit to the community in which you played. We will still remember you as the Minnesota North Stars. Good night, everybody. And goodbye."