Jason Myrtetus has called Philadelphia Flyers games since 2008, and this month he's doing something he never imagined: fighting stage 4 colorectal cancer while still showing up to work. The 54-year-old radio broadcaster, who hosts Flyers Daily, spoke to the team before its first win of the season, and afterward head coach Rick Tocchet handed him the game puck.
Myrtetus is fighting stage 4 colorectal cancer that has spread to his lungs, liver, peritoneum and axillary lymph nodes, according to The Athletic. He was first diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in December 2024, and after chemotherapy and surgery he was publicly presented as cancer-free in November 2025, per The Athletic's reporting on his case. He has since told the outlet he was given a prognosis of six to 24 months to live.
Earlier this week, at Tocchet's request, Myrtetus addressed the Flyers before the team took the ice against the Ottawa Senators, according to NHL.com. The Flyers picked up a 3-1 win over Ottawa for their first victory of the season, the team's broadcast partner reports.
Game Puck and Player of the Game
After the win, Tocchet gave Myrtetus the game puck, and the Flyers named him player of the game, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia. The players also awarded him Rocky gloves, according to NHL.com. Myrtetus described the honor as significant, calling the locker room a “sacrosanct place” for players, FOX 29 reported.
As FOX 29 Philadelphia reports, Myrtetus has a wife, Angela, and three children, ages 15, 18 and 20, and he has credited his family with supporting him throughout his cancer battle. He has said his cancer tends to respond to treatment but has returned before, and that he rejects being defined by historical survival statistics.
A Career Built in the Booth
Myrtetus has been a fixture of Flyers pregame, intermission and postgame coverage since 2008, according to Sports Illustrated's profile of his fight. That longevity is part of why his diagnosis has resonated so deeply with Flyers fans who have heard his voice on the air for nearly two decades.
Colorectal cancer survival statistics describe outcomes among large groups and cannot predict what will happen in any individual case, a caveat that underscores why Myrtetus has pushed back against being boxed in by the numbers. The organization also recommends routine colon cancer screening beginning at age 45, per the Athletic's report.
Fundraiser Set for South Philadelphia
A fundraiser called Puck Cancer! is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Play2 inside Chickie's & Pete's in South Philadelphia, according to 957 BEN FM. All proceeds are set to support Myrtetus and the Adolescent and Young Adult Colon Cancer Fund at the Abramson Cancer Center, the station reports.
General admission tickets cost $85, according to Crossing Broad. The 95.7 BEN FM listing describes a three-hour open bar with select domestic draft beers, alongside a two-hour buffet-style appetizer spread.
For now, Myrtetus continues working through treatment, calling games and hosting Flyers Daily even as he manages a prognosis that would sideline many others. The moment with the game puck, delivered in front of the team he has covered for nearly two decades, stands as one marker of a fight that is still very much ongoing.
