Members of the NHL community and beyond paid tribute Bob Cole on Thursday after the legendary broadcaster died at age 90.

He died Wednesday night in St. JohnB次元官网网址檚, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.

Cole, an influential voice in broadcasting for more than half a century, brought life to some of hockeyB次元官网网址檚 biggest games.

TNT hockey broadcaster Ed Olczyk, a former Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs forward, reminisced about admiring Bob ColeB次元官网网址檚 big-game presence during his time playing in Canada.

B次元官网网址淛ust a super genuine hockey lover,B次元官网网址� Olczyk said Thursday in Denver, where the Colorado Avalanche and the Jets were preparing to continue a first-round series on Friday.

B次元官网网址淥bviously his call is so connected to B次元官网网址楬ockey Night in Canada.B次元官网网址� Having played six years in Winnipeg and three years in Toronto, any time that he would walk into the room, you knew it was a big game. Just a great man.B次元官网网址�

Avalanche star defenceman Cale Makar was a rookie when Cole called his last games during the 2018-19 season, but he strongly admired ColeB次元官网网址檚 legacy.

B次元官网网址淗e was such a legendary announcer and such an awesome human being,B次元官网网址� Makar said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a tough loss for the hockey world.B次元官网网址�

Avalanche superstar forward Nathan MacKinnon remembers Cole as B次元官网网址渁n amazing person.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪uper funny and just a great guy,B次元官网网址� MacKinnon said. B次元官网网址淪ome of the best calls of all time.B次元官网网址�

Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness said the hockey world has lost a legend.

B次元官网网址淲e lost a wonderful human being. I spent a lot of time with Bob over the years. ThereB次元官网网址檚 not necessarily a specific story, but the most important thing is that all the coaches around the league and all the hockey people, they trusted him,B次元官网网址� Bowness said. B次元官网网址淗e was a true pro. You could tell him anything and he called a great game.B次元官网网址�

Jets forward Tyler Toffoli called it a sad day for hockey.

B次元官网网址淪eeing that this morning, waking up B次元官网网址� was pretty disheartening. Real unfortunate. The career he had affected so many people, and so many guysB次元官网网址� careers as well,B次元官网网址� Toffoli said.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe called Cole an B次元官网网址渋con.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪omeone who touched the game in so many ways,B次元官网网址� Keefe said in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs were preparing for Game 4 of their series on Saturday. B次元官网网址淭he voice of hockey not just in Toronto, but in our country.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet, a veteran of more than 1,000 games as a player, is thankful for the time he spent with Cole away from the rink.

B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址業 went to his golf tournament a couple of times in the Maritimes and spent a lot of time there. You know, heB次元官网网址檚 a legend,B次元官网网址� Tocchet said Thursday as the Canucks practised ahead of Game 3 of their series with the Nashville Predators. B次元官网网址淛ust hanging out with him at those golf tournaments was special for me.B次元官网网址�

Tocchet said it was always special to hear Cole call his name during a broadcast.

B次元官网网址淚 think I had a really good fight with (former Maple Leaf) Wendel Clark, and I think it might have been him and Harry Neale on the call. So I remember that,B次元官网网址� he said.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement that ColeB次元官网网址檚 voice was B次元官网网址渢he iconic and incomparable soundtrack of hockey across Canada for more than 50 years.

B次元官网网址淔rom countless winter Saturday nights on B次元官网网址楬ockey Night in CanadaB次元官网网址� to the 1972 Summit Series to multiple Olympic Games to dozens of Stanley Cup finals, his distinctive, infectious play-by-play made every game he called sound bigger,B次元官网网址� Bettman said.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper credited Cole for his own passion for hockey.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 probably not coaching in this league if it wasnB次元官网网址檛 growing up and having a passion for this game because of the voice of that man as a little kid,B次元官网网址� Cooper said Thursday night after a game against Florida.

B次元官网网址淚t was all because of the emotion that Bob Cole brought to this game. And heB次元官网网址檚 the Wayne Gretzky of announcers. My passion for this game is built on what Bob Cole said.B次元官网网址�

TSN hockey broadcaster Gord Miller called Cole a fantastic mentor and wonderful friend.

B次元官网网址淓veryone who ever did play-by-play of a hockey game and anyone who ever does in the future will stand in the shadow of Bob Cole,B次元官网网址� Miller wrote on X, the social media service formerly known as Twitter.

Fellow broadcaster John Shannon, a former executive producer of Hockey Night in Canada at CBC, wrote on X that his heart was broken after hearing news of ColeB次元官网网址檚 death.

B次元官网网址淗e had a passion that every hockey fan felt every time he announced a game. There will only be one Bob Cole. And now heB次元官网网址檚 goneB次元官网网址� he said.

ColeB次元官网网址檚 reach extended beyond hockey. He skipped Newfoundland at the 1971 Brier and 1975 Canadian menB次元官网网址檚 curling championship, served as quiz master on B次元官网网址淩each for the TopB次元官网网址� and worked for the Newfoundland government.

B次元官网网址淚 think heB次元官网网址檚 going to be remembered as a Newfoundlander that really made it on a big scale,B次元官网网址� said six-time Brier champion Brad Gushue, who also hails from St. JohnB次元官网网址檚.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey echoed GushueB次元官网网址檚 sentiments, saying his death was a loss for all hockey fans, but especially poignant for those in his home province.

B次元官网网址淗e was an incredible man with an incredible voice. Hearing him call games played by our heroes allowed us to dream and to realize that we could achieve great heights in any endeavour and on any stage,B次元官网网址� Furey said in a statement.

B次元官网网址淲hile his impact on the world of hockey was immense, he was something extra special for this province.B次元官网网址�