NHL fans not thrilled with Sportsnet's 'Hockey Night in Canada' replacement
It was the first Saturday night of the NHL season, but it didn’t feel right to a lot of Canadian hockey fans.
For the first time since 1952, there were no NHL games featured on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada on TV. Instead, feature games were presented under Rogers’ new “Saturday Night Hockey” banner and were broadcast exclusively on Sportsnet across the country.
Meanwhile, hockey’s ancestral home, the CBC, was busy broadcasting cricket at 7 p.m. EDT, a spot that would usually be reserved for Hockey Night in Canada’s primetime Saturday night game.
FIRST SATURDAY OF THE SEASON 🙌
Saturday Night Hockey coverage begins at 6:30pm ET / 3:30pm PT on Sportsnet 🏒 pic.twitter.com/20XfOVau7H
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 3, 2026
The content on Sportsnet’s new branding was largely the same as Hockey Night in Canada of the past several seasons, but many hockey fans were not too thrilled with the branding change that came with Rogers and the CBC not extending their sublicensing deal for NHL games this year.
It just felt wrong for a lot of people who grew up watching the iconic brand to see it replaced
“We are still calling it Hockey Night in Canada,” said one Canadian hockey fan on X.
“I miss Hockey Night in Canada. Like, what do you mean it’s Saturday night hockey now?” said another upset hockey fan.
Saturday Night Hockey is about to start, but it will always be Hockey Night in Canada to me. #HNIC pic.twitter.com/O3y39Upip0
— Rob Suggitt (@30G30N) October 3, 2026
“It’s Saturday night in Canada and the first weekend of the NHL season, and the CBC is showing the Super60 cricket league. Imagine,” said one baffled hockey fan.
“It will always be Hockey Night in Canada. Forever,” said another angry fan.
First Saturday in 74 years we don’t have NHL Hockey Night in Canada on CBC. We use to be a proper country … pic.twitter.com/RjY9vLCIwD
— The Hockey Illuminati (@Hky_Illuminati_) October 3, 2026
“Rogers, the company that killed Hockey Night in Canada. Shameful,” said a disgruntled fan.
“Disgusting it’s not Hockey Night in Canada anymore,” said another.
“Hockey Night in Canada” replaced by “Rogers Saturday Night Hockey” pic.twitter.com/xLvjgDKNBK
— Julio (@JulioHashem) October 3, 2026
“You call it what you want; in my house it’ll always be ‘Hockey Night in Canada,'” said another fan unhappy with the change.
“It will be Hockey Night in Canada for us true fans,” said another.
First Saturday without 'Hockey Night In Canada' since birth. Traditions should never die. Especially not one you remember watching with your dad every Saturday night since you were 6.
I am truly gutted.
— Jennifer Chefero (@ShootwAuthority) October 3, 2026
This isn’t the death of Hockey Night in Canada by any stretch. Though NHL games will no longer be broadcast on CBC under the brand, the network did announce last month that they plan on airing 26 PWHL games this season, with eight of those matchups being on Saturday.
Those Saturday games will air under the Hockey Night in Canada banner, keeping the brand alive for another year, albeit with a different product than usual.