CBC Ends 90-Year Run of Hockey Night in Canada

Hockey Night in Canada will no longer air on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation starting with the 2026-27 season, marking the end of a 74-year television tradition and a 90-year association with the public broadcaster, according to a joint statement released by Sportsnet and CBC on June 16, 2026.

The decision follows the expiration of a sub-licensing agreement between Rogers Communications and CBC that concluded with the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as reported by lastwordonsports.com. While the iconic Hockey Night in Canada trademarked brand name remains with CBC, Rogers and Sportsnet retain exclusive national broadcast rights through the 2037-38 season, leaving Saturday night games without their historic home on the public network.

End of a Century-Long Broadcasting Tradition

According to reporting from lastwordonsports.com, the full history of the broadcast spans over a century, tracing its roots to pioneering radio coverage on private stations as early as 1923. The program transitioned to a radio broadcast in 1931 before making its historic television debut on CBC in 1952, according to hockeyfeed.com.

For generations, the Saturday night fixture established itself as a cultural touchstone across the country. Over its decades on the public network, the program launched the careers of legendary broadcasters including Foster Hewitt, Don Cherry, Don Wittman, Jim Hughson, Bob Cole, Danny Gallivan, Ron MacLean, and Elliotte Friedman, as detailed in coverage from both outlets.

The Shift in Media Rights and Production Control

The modern landscape of the broadcast took shape on November 26, 2013, when Rogers Communications announced a landmark 12-year, $5.2 billion agreement with the NHL, granting Rogers exclusive national television, digital, and multimedia rights beginning in the 2014-15 season, according to hockeyfeed.com.

As hockeyfeed.com noted, hockeyfeed.com pointed out that instead of vanishing completely from the public broadcaster, a sublicensing pact between Rogers and CBC kept Hockey Night in Canada on CBC television, with Rogers taking over all production, advertising sales, and editorial decisions. That arrangement was later extended in 2017 through the conclusion of the 2026 playoffs.

CBC Programming Changes and Future Coverage

Following the expiration of the contract, CBC will move forward with a new sports programming strategy rather than renewing the partnership, according to lastwordonsports.com.

To fill that spot, CBC plans to debut a brand-new Saturday night prime-time program broadcast on CBC and streamed via CBC Gem, showcasing Canadian athletes participating in domestic competitions and major global sporting events.

CBC

While NHL games will require a Sportsnet subscription starting in the 2026-27 season, lastwordonsports.com notes that hockey of some level is still expected on CBC in the future, potentially including Olympic coverage or regional leagues.