Elliotte Friedman's future with Sportsnet just got a major update
It appears that things are trending in the right direction with Elliotte Friedman and Sportsnet.
Rumours have run amok over the past week about the possibility of Friedman’s departure from the network. The veteran NHL insider’s contract reportedly expired on Sept. 1, making him a free agent who could potentially sign with another network. There has been speculation that Amazon’s Prime Video has had heavy interest in poaching Friedman.
Losing Friedman would be a major loss for Sportsnet, as he is one of the most well-respected and influential insiders in the NHL. It would be almost impossible to fill his spot if the two sides failed to come to an agreement.
However, that doesn’t appear to be happening.
A new report from the Toronto Star’s Jonah Sigel on Sunday morning indicated that the two sides are nearing an agreement to keep Friedman on Sportsnet.
“Sources: Elliotte vacationing overseas, most deal terms have been agreed to with Rogers,” Sigel shared on social media. “The notion Amazon had made a significant or serious offer is complete fiction. There may have been discussions, but ‘Amazon wasn’t going to blow up their entire payroll for an insider.'”
Sources: Elliotte vacationing overseas, most deal terms have been agreed to with Rogers. The notion Amazon had made a significant or serious offer is complete fiction. There may have been discussions but "Amazon wasn't going to blow up their entire payroll for an insider"
— Jonah Sigel | Sports media + streaming (@yyzsportsmedia) September 6, 2026
Canadian hockey fans will certainly be happy with this latest report. While Sportsnet does employ other NHL insiders, none of them have the extensive résumé that Friedman carries.
Prime Video was widely considered Sportsnet’s biggest rival in luring Friedman away from the network, but it appears those worries were overstated.
Locking down hockey’s biggest insider will be a big hurdle cleared for Sportsnet with the NHL season looming, but they aren’t out of the woods yet. Another big name in need of a new contract is Kevin Bieksa, who has become one of the most popular hockey analysts in the sport.
Biekas also reportedly became a free agent on Sept. 1 and has been linked to potentially joining Prime Video’s NHL broadcasts this season. The former NHL defenceman joined Sportsnet in 2020 and quickly demonstrated a knack for broadcasting.
His quick wit combined with intelligent analysis helped him win the “best sports analyst” Canadian Screen Award three years in a row.
The clock is ticking to get both Friedman and Bieksa locked down to new deals.