Life is good for North Vancouver's Dave Tomlinson -- so good that not even a busted waterpipe spewing onto his driveway can dampen his spirits.

When the North Shore News caught up with Tomlinson this week he was inspecting his now waterlogged driveway with a district worker. His tires were wet but he's hoping that's the worst of the damage.

"I think (the broken pipe) is my neighbour's," he said with a chuckle. "We share a driveway and it's just before the bottom there. I think I'm out of the woods."

That's one more reason for Tomlinson to smile. It's not, however, the main reason.

This summer Tomlinson was named the colour commentator for the Team 1040's broadcasts of Vancouver Canucks games, taking over the seat occupied for 27 years by the retiring Tom Larscheid. Tomlinson was picked for the job in August and has already called the team's preseason games with play-by-play announcers John Shorthouse, Rick Ball and Joey Kenward, but the gig still feels new and oh-so-good.

"I was so excited when they offered me the opportunity and it's one of those things where everyday you're like, 'Is this what I'm doing? This is awesome.' Although it's now what I do for Team 1040, it still feels like kind of that first day of great news is repeating itself. I'm absolutely thrilled and honoured to be the colour man for the Canucks. I know how important that position is to the listeners that follow the team. I can only say I am absolutely excited."

A former pro hockey player whose career took him all over the map -- including brief NHL stops in Toronto, Winnipeg and Florida -- Tomlinson talked his way into the radio game four years ago and has earned more and more work from 1040.

Born and raised in North Vancouver, Tomlinson graduated from Boston University with a degree in business management and marketing but he had very little broadcast experience when Team 1040's Paul Carson gave him a shot on the air as his hockey career was winding down. It's worked out well.

"I'm in a dream job so I'd say it's gone about as good as I could have expected or hoped," said Tomlinson. "I kind of approached this the same way that I approached my hockey career, which was if I'm going to take a day off then someone else is going to get ahead, so I've got to keep working. The fact that I've got the colour job now doesn't mean that I'm going to sit back and say, 'Good, here we go.' I'm going to take the opposite approach which is, 'OK, now the real work begins.'"

Carson, the longtime radio and television personality who opened the door for Tomlinson, is undergoing cancer treatment right now. About eight months ago he was given six months to live but Tomlinson said the latest reports on Carson's health are encouraging. He's thrilled that Carson will be able to hear him take the mic as the season begins.

"If I had a list of people to thank he'd be the first guy," said Tomlinson. "He facilitated a lot of things for me and has been a great supporter of me. . . . I hope that he's had the chance to tune in or will be able to tune in and hope that he understands the importance that he's played."

When Larscheid announced his retirement this summer -- he'll do this Saturday's opener against Los Angeles and then step down -- Tomlinson was named his successor. They're big shoes to fill, said Tomlinson.

"It's almost as if I don't want to let anyone down that was used to listening to all the passion and excitement that Tom had," he said. "I'm going to miss Tom for sure but at the same time I'm going to have to be my own guy in the booth and try to match his excitement and then add what I can in terms of the hockey part of things."

Tomlinson did a handful of games as a fill-in commentator over the past two years and now that he's got the gig fulltime he wants to make a lasting impression on the listeners.

"I always consider the person that's driving in their car or listening on the Internet that isn't watching the game and I try to describe it so that they can picture it clearly in their head," he said. "If a guy is coming down the right side and is a left-hand shot and he's shooting near side over the glove, I try to get all that in so that they can process it and almost put themselves right at the rink."

He also knows that there are people who watch the game live in the arena or on television who still listen to the radio and he'll do his best to add something to that experience.

"One of the things that I really enjoy doing is picking up little aspects of the game that if you are watching the game and listening you'll be able to look for as the game goes on or look for in games subsequent," he said.

"I played hockey my entire life and I love the game like nothing else -- outside my family, of course -- and so it just brings me joy to be able to talk about parts of the game that people might not see right away but once it's brought to light, it gives them something to look for and maybe makes them understand the game a little bit more or adds to their enjoyment of watching."

His experience as a player -- and much more of a grinder than a sniper -- helps him see things on the ice that others might miss.

"My NHL career was one where I had to work with every tool I had and every piece of energy I had to get some games in," he said. "So guys that do that as well I'll be able to see and point out because a lot of times people just like to look at the star players. It takes a whole team to be successful."

Tomlinson is an upbeat guy so he's not expecting to do much scathing criticism on the air.

"It's a game of mistakes so I'll point those out, but not maliciously," he said. "I'm not a negative person by nature."

That optimism shows in his early season prediction for the Canucks.

"They don't have any big weaknesses, which is the key to playing far and long into the playoffs. Barring injury, this team is as good as the Canucks have had in years and I'm looking forward to calling a Stanley Cup final."

aprest@nsnews.com