After 18 years on the air, ‘Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition’ has been canceled, as announced by the show on Friday. The Punjabi-language sports broadcast expressed gratitude for bringing the community closer to the beloved game since its inception in 2008. The show was acknowledged for sharing the stories of South Asian players and families, creating a truly unique space in Canadian sports.
Rogers Sportsnet, the national NHL rights-holder, described the cancellation as a “difficult decision” due to insufficient audience levels for long-term sustainability. However, they acknowledged the significance of the broadcasts to many Punjabi-speaking hockey fans and expressed gratitude to the on-air team, production staff, and loyal viewers.
Jagraj Lalli, a commentator on the show, expressed shock at the cancellation, emphasizing that despite the show’s end, its mission of fostering connections, diversity, and representation would endure. Lalli highlighted the show’s role in providing opportunities for up-and-coming broadcasters from the Punjabi community and shared his emotional debut experience covering a Vancouver Canucks game in 2025.
Fans took to social media to express disappointment over the cancellation, with many reminiscing about the impact and representation the show provided. One user, a descendant of Pakistani immigrants, appreciated seeing individuals who resembled them involved in the sport of hockey. Another user lamented the loss of trailblazers for the South Asian diaspora.
The show’s final season averaged only 1,500 viewers, with more than half of the games attracting fewer than 1,000 viewers, according to Sportsnet. Former show alumnus Bhupinder Singh Hundal reflected on the transformative role the show played in his career and the pride in showcasing Punjabi language, culture, and community on a national platform.
The cancellation of ‘Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition’ follows CBC’s decision in June to discontinue broadcasting ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ after nearly a century, citing the inability to reach a new sublicensing agreement with Sportsnet. Additionally, Rogers Sports and Media closed Vancouver’s Sportsnet 650 sports radio station in July after almost a decade on the air.
