TORONTO — Sportsnet has named its new flagship show “Saturday Night Hockey,” replacing “Hockey Night in Canada” with familiar faces on the panel — and some notable absences. The change comes after Sportsnet and CBC ended their 12-year sublicensing agreement, ending NHL broadcasts on the public broadcaster after last season. CBC retains the rights to the “Hockey Night in Canada” brand. “Saturday Night Hockey” debuts Oct. 3, hosted by Ron MacLean with Kevin Bieksa, Elliotte Friedman and Colby Armstrong on the panel. Bieksa and Friedman are back after re-signing with Sportsnet in the off-season, while longtime panellists Kelly Hrudey and Jennifer Botterill are absent from the new lineup. Hrudey announced last month that his contract was not renewed. The Saturday broadcast will feature a weekly doubleheader, with at least one Canadian team in each matchup. The Oct. 3 debut features four games involving all seven Canadian teams. The network also unveiled its NHL schedule for the 2026-27 season Wednesday, which features more than 550 games as Sportsnet lifts 150 regional blackouts. “Monday Night Hockey” will return on Oct. 5, airing exclusively on the Sportsnet+ streaming platform, with David Amber hosting alongside analysts Luke Gazdic and Justin Williams. The NHL regular season opens Sept. 29 with a Sportsnet doubleheader featuring Montreal at Toronto, followed by Vancouver at Edmonton. Sportsnet will also broadcast the NHL’s marquee events, including the Heritage Classic, Winter Classic, All-Star Weekend and Stadium Series. It will carry the Stanley Cup playoffs except for three early-round series that will be available on Prime Video. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2026. The Canadian Press
