Sportsnet debuts 'Saturday Night Hockey', ending CBC's HNIC run with NHL
The 1952-era CBC franchise loses its NHL games as Rogers launches a rebranded Saturday broadcast, with Seattle at Edmonton among the opening-night matchups.
Sportsnet launched its new 'Saturday Night Hockey' broadcast, replacing CBC's long-running 'Hockey Night in Canada' as the home for NHL games on Saturday nights. The change comes after Rogers Communications and the CBC did not renew their sublicensing agreement for this season.
The opening four-game slate included Seattle visiting Edmonton and Calgary at Vancouver, along with Ottawa at Toronto and Montreal at Pittsburgh. Ron MacLean hosts the new panel alongside Kevin Bieksa, Elliotte Friedman and Colby Armstrong.
Rogers holds NHL broadcast rights under a 12-year, $11-billion deal, the first season of which is now underway. Rogers had partnered with CBC on Hockey Night in Canada since securing its original 12-year NHL rights deal in 2014. CBC first aired Hockey Night in Canada in 1952 and plans to air Professional Women's Hockey League games under that name this season instead.
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