Blab Sports
Hockey Night in Canada Ends CBC Broadcast After 74 Years
Hockey Night in Canada will no longer air on CBC Television next season, ending a 74‑year partnership that began when the program debuted on the network in 1952. The decision follows the expiration of a sublicensing agreement between Rogers Communications and the CBC that had allowed the national broadcaster to carry the Saturday‑night NHL broadcast and all playoff rounds for the last 12 years. The agreement was not renewed as Rogers entered its new 12‑year, $11 billion rights deal with the NHL for the 2026‑27 season.
The joint statement issued by Sportsnet and the CBC said the public broadcaster would not carry NHL games after the current season, citing a new sports‑programming strategy that the network is developing after the success of the Milan‑Cortina Olympic Games. The CBC still owns the “Hockey Night in Canada” trademark and could use the brand in future coverage, but the traditional Saturday‑night program will not be available on the public network.
CBC Sports executive director Chris Wilson said the end of the partnership was “an end of an era” but framed it as an opportunity. “We’re choosing to look at it more as an opportunity as opposed to a loss,” he told reporters. “We fully understand that it’s going to take an opportunity away from some Canadians to see it on CBC. That’s unfortunately where we landed, and we’re excited for the next chapter.”
The program has been a staple of Canadian television for generations. It first aired on CBC Television in 1952 and has been broadcast on Saturday nights for every NHL season since. The show has featured a roster of iconic broadcasters, including Dick Irvin, Bob Cole, Ron MacLean, Don Cherry, Dave Hodge and Foster Hewitt. The “baby blue” jackets worn by the hosts, complete with a puck and stick logo, became a visual symbol of the Saturday‑night tradition.
The partnership with Rogers began in the 2014‑15 season when the telecom company secured exclusive national multimedia rights to NHL games. Under the sublicensing arrangement, Sportsnet produced the Saturday broadcasts, retained editorial control and handled advertising, while the CBC carried the program on its terrestrial network. A separate French‑language deal was made with TVA. The arrangement helped broaden the reach of NHL coverage across Canada and allowed the CBC to promote some of its own programming.
According to reports, the NHL postseason concluded Sunday night when the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup. The 2026‑27 regular season is expected to begin in late September.
The decision marks the first time since 1952 that Hockey Night in Canada will not be broadcast on CBC Television. The network will introduce a new Saturday‑night sports program in its place, though details are still pending. The CBC’s role in Canadian sports broadcasting remains significant, but the shift reflects a broader realignment of national sports rights in the country.
In summary, the end of the CBC‑Sportsnet partnership will remove Saturday‑night NHL games from the public broadcaster for the 2026‑27 season. The CBC retains the brand and may incorporate it into future coverage, but the long‑standing tradition of Hockey Night in Canada on CBC will not continue. The next NHL season will see the games on Rogers’ Sportsnet platforms, while the CBC focuses on new programming for its Saturday nights.
The joint statement issued by Sportsnet and the CBC said the public broadcaster would not carry NHL games after the current season, citing a new sports‑programming strategy that the network is developing after the success of the Milan‑Cortina Olympic Games. The CBC still owns the “Hockey Night in Canada” trademark and could use the brand in future coverage, but the traditional Saturday‑night program will not be available on the public network.
CBC Sports executive director Chris Wilson said the end of the partnership was “an end of an era” but framed it as an opportunity. “We’re choosing to look at it more as an opportunity as opposed to a loss,” he told reporters. “We fully understand that it’s going to take an opportunity away from some Canadians to see it on CBC. That’s unfortunately where we landed, and we’re excited for the next chapter.”
The program has been a staple of Canadian television for generations. It first aired on CBC Television in 1952 and has been broadcast on Saturday nights for every NHL season since. The show has featured a roster of iconic broadcasters, including Dick Irvin, Bob Cole, Ron MacLean, Don Cherry, Dave Hodge and Foster Hewitt. The “baby blue” jackets worn by the hosts, complete with a puck and stick logo, became a visual symbol of the Saturday‑night tradition.
The partnership with Rogers began in the 2014‑15 season when the telecom company secured exclusive national multimedia rights to NHL games. Under the sublicensing arrangement, Sportsnet produced the Saturday broadcasts, retained editorial control and handled advertising, while the CBC carried the program on its terrestrial network. A separate French‑language deal was made with TVA. The arrangement helped broaden the reach of NHL coverage across Canada and allowed the CBC to promote some of its own programming.
According to reports, the NHL postseason concluded Sunday night when the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup. The 2026‑27 regular season is expected to begin in late September.
The decision marks the first time since 1952 that Hockey Night in Canada will not be broadcast on CBC Television. The network will introduce a new Saturday‑night sports program in its place, though details are still pending. The CBC’s role in Canadian sports broadcasting remains significant, but the shift reflects a broader realignment of national sports rights in the country.
In summary, the end of the CBC‑Sportsnet partnership will remove Saturday‑night NHL games from the public broadcaster for the 2026‑27 season. The CBC retains the brand and may incorporate it into future coverage, but the long‑standing tradition of Hockey Night in Canada on CBC will not continue. The next NHL season will see the games on Rogers’ Sportsnet platforms, while the CBC focuses on new programming for its Saturday nights.
