Canada's hockey broadcast rivals have teamed up for Olympics and fans are loving it
Canada is blessed with some of the best hockey broadcasters in the world.
Unfortunately, some of them work for competing networks.
At least, that was the case until the 2026 Winter Olympics began.
NHLers officially returned to the Olympics on Thursday. Slovakia upset Finland 4-1 in the opening game, while Italy gave Sweden a surprising run for their money before ultimately falling 5-2.
However, one of the biggest storylines for Canadians wasn’t the games themselves. It was the broadcast panel.
For the Olympics, the panel of broadcasters unsurprisingly included Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kevin Bieksa, alongside Cassie Campbell-Pascal and Cheryl Pounder.
However, the surprise addition to the panel was James Duthie.
James Duthie (far left) joined an Olympic broadcast panel with Rogers employees (CBC)
Duthie has been with TSN for nearly 30 years after joining the network in the late 1990s.
Up until 2013, both TSN and Sportsnet shared NHL coverage, with Duthie and Friedman being placed in prominent roles for their respective organizations.
However, in 2013, Rogers outbid Bell Media for the rights to the NHL, leaving TSN with nothing but local scraps for big-league hockey coverage.
Perhaps that was forgotten on Thursday as broadcasters from competing networks teamed up. That includes Cheryl Pounder, who, like Duthie, primarily worked on TSN broadcasts.
The surprise reunion had hockey fans from around the country both surprised and overjoyed.
“Love seeing this Canadian Olympic hockey panel with Duthie, Bieksa, Friedman, Campbell-Pascal and Pounder,” one fan said. “True Team Canada approach!”
“We got the dream commentary setup,” said this fan.
“This is a sight to behold, a picture to be seen, what cinema!” another said.
Although it was a sight to behold, it did leave some fans confused.
“I know it’s a multi-network thing at the Olympics, but it sounds so strange to hear Kyle Bukauskas throw it to James Duthie who is sitting on the desk with Elliotte Friedman,” this fan said.
Even TSN broadcaster Jeff O’Neill was confounded.
“What the hell is going on?” he posted on X.
Some fans also acknowledged the bizarre nature of the union.
Elliotte Friedman and Kevin Bieksa showing up on a panel hosted by James Duthie pic.twitter.com/Ofzq26ZyUI
— Rob Wong (@RobWong34) February 11, 2026
While some used wrestling as a metaphor, others likened it to infamous gangs coming together.
Duthie and Friedge on the same panel pic.twitter.com/DNdScxzRIF
— Redcaaard (@redcaaard) February 11, 2026
Among active Canadian hockey broadcasters, there might be none better than those on Canada’s Olympic broadcasts.
Just another reminder that when NHlers are at the Olympics, it truly is the best of the best.