Red Fisher — Canadian hockey journalist and longtime Montreal Canadiens columnist

Red Fisher (1926–2018) was a Canadian sports journalist whose five-decade career chronicled the National Hockey League and the Montreal Canadiens, reporting from Montreal papers from the 1950s until his 2012 retirement.

Overview

Red Fisher was a prominent Canadian sportswriter best known for his coverage of the National Hockey League and, in particular, the Montreal Canadiens. Born in Montreal, Quebec, he built a reputation for steady, informed reporting and a deep familiarity with hockey’s people and culture. His byline appeared in print for more than half a century, making him a familiar presence in dressing rooms and press boxes.

Career and work

Fisher began covering hockey in 1954 at The Montreal Star, where he served as both columnist and sports editor until that paper closed in 1979. After the Star’s demise he continued his career at another Montreal newspaper and remained an active voice in hockey journalism until retiring in 2012. Over those decades he wrote game reports, player profiles, columns and analysis that chronicled changing eras of the sport.

Style and contributions

Fisher’s writing combined concise game detail with an eye for the personalities who made the sport compelling. He was known for cultivating long-term relationships with players, coaches and executives, which allowed him to provide context beyond the box score. His commentary helped shape public understanding of team dynamics, trades and the business of professional hockey.

Importance and legacy

As a steady chronicler of one of hockey’s most storied franchises, Fisher documented important transitions in the NHL and the Canadiens organization. Younger reporters often cited the standards of preparation and fairness he modeled. His long tenure gave readers continuity across generations of players and multiple championship cycles.

Notable facts and death

Worked in Montreal’s sports media scene from the 1950s through 2012.
Best known for his coverage of the Montreal Canadiens and the broader NHL.
Remembered for a straightforward, detail-oriented reporting style.

Red Fisher died in Montreal on 19 January 2018 at the age of 91, leaving behind a substantial body of work that remains a reference for those researching mid-20th-century hockey and sports journalism in Canada.