He was the voice for a generation of hockey fans.

Bob Cole, the legendary broadcaster who called his last game at age 85, has died. He passed away this morning, at 90. Some of his calls are simply unforgettable, from the Summit Series and Edmonton Oilers’ Stanley Cup dynasty to the Olympics. “Oh baby,” his voice was a part of the Canadian fabric.

Born and raised in St. John’s, Cole became a national treasure. The play-by-play legend called his final game for Hockey Night in Canada in 2019, capping off an incredible 50-year run behind the microphone. Regarded by many as the greatest at his craft, Cole was inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.

It was right here, though, in this province, where Cole’s career began, calling provincial junior and senior games. That humble beginning would take him all the way to the show.

His career with HNIC started with a radio broadcast in the late 1960s and he would move to television in 1973. Cole would call thousands of games, capturing iconic moments in history.

He was an athlete himself, playing hockey and soccer, and even skipped Newfoundland and Labrador at the 1971 and ’75 Brier national curling champonships.

His career was unrivaled. He won nine Geminis, was an Order of Canada recipient. and, above all, his voice was the soundtrack for hockey.

Today, the hockey world mourns the voice of our game.