Hockey Night in Canada, the world’s longest continually broadcast sports show, is ending after 74 years. The CBC says it will no longer carry NHL broadcasts after the current season as a new Canadian NHL rights deal is agreed, while Sportsnet confirms the end
For generations, Saturday nights in Canada carried the same familiar promise: a top NHL game on free-to-watch TV, wrapped in the traditions of Hockey Night in Canada. Now those nights are set to end.
CBC announced on Tuesday morning that it will no longer carry NHL broadcasts after the current season. The decision lands as a new Canadian NHL rights deal is taking place. with CBC saying it is moving forward with a new sports programming strategy. The show—broadcast on television since 1952—has been described as the world’s longest continually broadcast sports show. running for 74 years as a Canadian institution.
The change also closes the partnership behind how “HNIC” has looked and sounded in recent years. Sportsnet. owned by Canadian media conglomerate Rogers Communications. confirmed the end of its partnership with the CBC and how the brand would be carried “as HNIC as we know it.” Sportsnet had been cross-licensing Hockey Night in Canada since the 2014-15 season. but the “HNIC” brand itself is property of the CBC.
In its statement. CBC tied the move to rights and scheduling priorities. saying: “After a successful 12-year partnership. Sportsnet and CBC today announced the public broadcaster [CBC] 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.”.
The sequence is stark: the CBC announcement arrives as NHL rights shift in Canada. and Sportsnet’s confirmation follows. ending the cross-licensing that has defined the viewing experience since 2014-15. With the “HNIC” brand belonging to CBC. the breakup is not just operational—it changes the future face of how Canadians will see NHL hockey on television.
By the time the current season finishes. Hockey Night in Canada’s run on TV since 1952 will be over. and Saturday-night games that were once televised for free on CBC will move into a new era shaped by the rights deal and a different programming direction. For fans who grew up with it, the anger is immediate—because the announcement doesn’t just end a contract. It ends a ritual.
Hockey Night in Canada CBC Sportsnet Rogers Communications NHL rights deal Milano Cortina Olympic Games Canadian television sports broadcasting ice hockey
So they just… end Hockey Night in Canada? That’s kinda insane. I grew up on that.
Wait, I thought Sportsnet would still show the games though? Like HNIC was the brand name, but it feels like they’re just taking it away from regular people. Not everyone has the cable package for Sportsnet.
Honestly it’s probably because CBC doesn’t make enough money or something, like they’re doing this for the Olympics audience. But why does “Milano/Cortina” have anything to do with hockey nights… seems weird. Also who even owns what now, feels like Rogers just snatched the whole thing.
This is so sad. Saturday nights won’t feel the same. I don’t even watch hockey that much but the whole tradition mattered, like the intro music and everything. They say it’s rights/scheduling but it sounds like CBC got outvoted and now it’s gonna be behind paywalls somewhere.