Hockey Night in Canada will still exist in some form, but Sportsnet continues to make cuts that will fundamentally change what it is.<\/p>\n
In June, Sportsnet and CBC announced that the public broadcaster would no longer carry NHL broadcasts<\/a>, which it had done since 1952. Sportsnet, which signed a 12-year, $5.2 billion exclusive deal<\/a> with the NHL in 2013, had sublicensed its broadcasts to CBC to maintain the\u00a0HNIC brand while producing it in-house.<\/p>\n However, that\u2019s over now. And because the Hockey Night in Canada brand is owned by CBC, the broadcaster will transition it to a new form.<\/p>\n That also means Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi, which has been broadcast for 18 seasons, has been canceled. That news was announced on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve made the difficult decision to end our Punjabi-language NHL broadcasts,\u201d a Sportsnet spokesperson told Daily Hive<\/a>. \u201cWhile audience levels aren\u2019t strong enough to sustain the production long-term, we know these broadcasts have meant a lot to many Punjabi-speaking hockey fans. We\u2019re grateful to the on-air team, production staff, and viewers who supported the show over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n The Punjabi version of the program began on CBS in 2008 but moved to Rogers-owned Omni when the NHL broadcast rights moved there.<\/p>\n Thank you for 18 wonderful years. \u2764\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/IYH9UtHvrn<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi (@HkyNightPunjabi) August 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFor 18 years, this show brought our community closer to the game we love. It shared the stories of South Asian players and families and created a space that was truly unique in Canadian sports. We are incredibly proud of what we built together,\u201d read a statement from Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi.<\/p>\n \u201cTo our viewers: THANK YOU! Your love, support, and unwavering loyalty meant everything to us. You welcomed us into your homes, shared your stories with us, and made this show what it became. We are grateful for every moment we shared with you.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for being part of our family.\u201d<\/p>\n The HNIC offshoot gained notoriety over the years for the exuberant calls of announcers like Harnarayan Singh<\/a>, whose \u201cBonino! Bonino! Bonino!\u201d call of Penguins center Nick Bonino\u2019s game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Finals lives in infamy.<\/p>\n *Blesses your timeline* #BONINOBONINOBONINO<\/a>@IceSinghHNIC<\/a> @RandipJanda<\/a> @HarpPandher<\/a> @BhupinderHundal<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/07TXfKje21<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi (@HkyNightPunjabi) May 31, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n The Punjabi version of HNIC was notable, as Canada is home to one of the largest Punjabi populations<\/a> outside of India, with over 900,000 residents of Punjabi origin.<\/p>\n This is the latest in a series of announcements ending HNIC as Canadian hockey fans have known it. Longtime Hockey Night in Canada\u00a0broadcaster Kelly Hrudey announced earlier this month that his contract with Sportsnet had expired<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t