Sportsnet says it will share its plans for the upcoming hockey season in September as longtime Hockey Night in Canada analyst Kelly Hrudey revealed yesterday his contract with the network hasn’t been renewed.
The former NHL goaltender turned broadcaster announced in a post to his social media channels on Wednesday that he was notified on June 19 that his contract was not going to be renewed for the upcoming season.
Hrudey had been with the network since 2014 when Rogers Sports & Media took over as the exclusive rights holder of Hockey Night in Canada from CBC, but had worked with the show full-time since 1998, following the conclusion of his playing career with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks. In addition to studio analyst duties on HNIC, he had served as a game analyst for regional Calgary Flames on Sportsnet coverage.
View this post on Instagram
Hrudey’s departure from the network – which has largely been met with shock and regret from both colleagues and viewers – comes as CBC and Sportsnet’s 12-year rights partnership comes to an end.
Announced in a joint statement from both broadcasters in June, CBC will not air NHL games going forward, ending a 74-year tradition. While retaining the rights to the “Hockey Night in Canada” brand, the public broadcaster has plans to unveil a new Saturday night primetime show spotlighting Canadian athletes.
Rogers, meanwhile, has announced a 12-year sub-licensing agreement with Prime Video in Canada to exclusively broadcast Wednesday night regular-season NHL games in English and French, beginning with the 2026-27 season.
The primary broadcast team for Hockey Night in Canada has featured hosts Ron MacLean and David Amber, alongside Hrudey, Elliotte Friedman, Kevin Bieksa, Jennifer Botterill and Luke Gazdic.
