In 1995, Bartlett, then a goalie in Junior A hockey, volunteered to handle public address announcements at tournament games in Newmarket. He gained his first play-by-play experience when the announcer for Rogers TV failed to show up for a game between the York-Simcoe Express and the Barrie Flyers.[4] He entered the broadcast journalism program at Centennial College in Toronto and spent his early years as a play-by-play and public address announcer for junior games in Newmarket, Bradford, Ontario, and Aurora, Ontario.[1][4] At the age of 22 he became the play-by-play announcer for the Barrie Colts.[1] From 2005 to 2011, Bartlett was the play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Marlies. In 2007 he won the American Hockey League's James H. Ellery Memorial Awards for outstanding radio coverage.[2]
In 2011, Bartlett became the English radio voice of the Montreal Canadiens.[2] In 2014, Sportsnet hired Bartlett to call Canadiens games on its regional network.[5] In 2017, Bartlett moved to TSN when the Canadiens regional broadcasts moved to that network. The following year, Bartlett returned to Sportsnet when he succeeded Paul Romanuk as the regional TV voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs as well as an announcer for select national games for Hockey Night in Canada.[6]Garry Galley was his color commentator for those games.
As of the 2020-2021 season, Bartlett is no longer the Leafs regional TV voice, but regularly works nationally televised games for Sportsnet, often involving the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.
^ abcdeHickey, Pat (October 11, 2012). "Play-by-play man dialed in early; On radio John Bartlett knew when he was 15 what business he wanted to pursue". The Montreal Gazette.
^ abcHickey, Pat (August 25, 2011). "Bartlett gets nod for Habs; Will call games for Team 990". The Montreal Gazette.
^Cudmore, John (August 31, 2011). "Bartlett new voice of Habs hockey". The Era-Banner.
