CBC will no longer air NHL games in 'end of an era' as broadcast deal expires

“Watching hockey on sat dark is a time-honoured tradition for Canadians, and Sportsnet is privileged to persist in delivering that tradition. This has been a terrifying partnership, and both parties seem forward to continued opportunities to collaborate in the future.”

"I can't imagine it," said Michael McKinley, author of Hockey Night in Canada: 60 Seasons. 

"I mean, I can imagine it. I don't want to imagine it."

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Hockey Night in Canada was a Saturday night mainstay for generations of hockey fans.

Broadcasters like Dick Irvin, Bob Cole, Ron MacLean, Don Cherry, Dave Hodge and Foster Hewitt — to name a few — helped provide the soundtrack that Canadians would cherish.

Traditional baby blue blazers — complete with a puck and stick HNIC logo on the jacket pocket — were as familiar as the announcers' voices.

"They all look the same. Nobody wears any baby blue jackets with Hockey Night in Canada crests to identify it as a Saturday night game. I think that this was coming. It was inevitable."

Things began to change when Rogers first secured a 12-year, $5.2-billion rights deal with the league in 2013, with many games available on the Sportsnet broadcast platform.

Under the setup, Sportsnet produced the games, retained editorial control and managed the advertising.

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"It was the original appointment television for Canada every Saturday night," said James Nadler, chair of the radio and television arts media program at Toronto Metropolitan University.

The first sublicensing deal, a four-year agreement that started with the 2014-15 season, was followed by a one-year extension.

Rogers also said that HNIC "consistently ranked among the Top 5 programs, reaching on average 7.5 million Canadians each week."

"Saturday night NHL hockey is woven into the fabric of Canada and our partners at Sportsnet will continue this great tradition, as they have for the last 12 years," NHL chief communications officer Jon Weinstein said in an email.

“At the same time, our commitment doesn't pause following the closing ceremony; we will be there between the Games — in every community, every arena, every early morning practice and every late night training session."

In addition, Radio-Canada, the broadcaster’s French-language service, will launch Rendez-vous Podium, a weekly show on ICI TÉLÉ and ICI TOU.TV on Sunday afternoons.

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