NHL games won't appear on 'Hockey Night in Canada' going forward

CBC will no longer be televising NHL games going forward, ending a long-standing tradition that has lasted since 1952.

Rogers has held the NHL broadcast rights in Canada since 2014, but the Hockey Night in Canada brand lived on, with Saturday night games airing on both CBC and Sportsnet.

That won’t be the case going forward.

“The Hockey Night in Canada brand is owned by CBC and will remain with the public broadcaster,” a CBC spokesperson told Daily Hive. “We will continue to use the brand moving forward and will update on those plans when we have more details.”

CBC began broadcasting NHL games on radio back in 1936, and transitioned into television in 1952.

Last year, Rogers agreed to a new 12-year broadcast deal with the NHL that will kick in for the 2026-27 season. The deal is believed to be worth roughly C$11 billion.

“After a successful 12-year partnership, Sportsnet and CBC today announced the public broadcaster will no longer carry NHL broadcasts after the current season as it moves forward with a new sports programming strategy following the unprecedented success of the Milano/Cortina Olympic Games,” reads a joint statement from Sportsnet and CBC.

“Watching hockey on Saturday night is a time-honoured tradition for Canadians, and Sportsnet is privileged to continue delivering that tradition. This has been a terrific partnership, and both parties look forward to continued opportunities to collaborate in the future.”

In a separate statement, CBC announced that it will be launching a new Saturday night prime time show which will feature Canadian athletes competing at home and at the biggest events around the world.

“As the proud home of Team Canada, we’re already investing in the L.A. Games in 2028 and setting a course for the French Alps in 2030,” said Doug Smith, CBC’s executive vice-president. “At the same time, our commitment doesn’t pause following the closing ceremony; we will be there between the Games – in every community, every arena, every early morning practice and every late night training session.”

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