Sportsnet's NHL panels won't have any women on them next season
The new Sportsnet panel may as well feature Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, because it’s essentially The Man Show.
On Wednesday, Sportsnet announced the return of popular broadcasters Kevin Bieksa and Elliotte Friedman to their newly named Saturday Night Hockey broadcasts. Colby Armstrong will join Bieksa and Friedman on the panel alongside longtime host Ron MacLean.
Meanwhile, the network’s Monday Night Hockey broadcast, which will be exclusively available on Sportsnet+, will feature David Amber as host with analysts Luke Gazdic and Justin Williams on the panel.
Notably absent from the announcement? Jennifer Botterill.
This is not entirely surprising, as rumours had been swirling for some time that her contract would not be renewed.
The three-time Olympic gold medalist, and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee as of last year, had been a studio analyst on Hockey Night in Canada and Sportsnet telecasts for over five years.
Botterill’s departure coincides with other changes to Sportsnet’s broadcast personnel, with Kelly Hrudey similarly let go and Scott Oake retiring.
“I’ve worked with Kelly and Scott for 20-plus years,” said Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “It’s going to be weird without them. Jennifer, we worked together for, I think, six years now. It’s going to be very weird not to work with her. I’ll miss all of them.”
Caroline Cameron, who was the host of Wednesday Night Hockey for Sportsnet, was also absent from the announcement.
Despite Wednesday NHL broadcasts moving to Prime Video, Cameron is still with Sportsnet. She won’t be on broadcasts to start the season, however, as she is currently on maternity leave.
Without Botterill and Cameron, it appears that Sportsnet’s NHL broadcasts won’t feature a single woman either in-studio or rinkside.