Hockey Night in Punjabi is coming to an end after 18 years as Sportsnet decided to stop airing the program ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.
On Friday afternoon it was announced by Hockey Night in Punjabi on their X (formerly Twitter) account that Sportsnet is not going to be renewing the show ahead of the 2026-27 season, effectively ending their run after 18 years:
A decision has been made that Hockey Night in Punjabi is not returning. For 18 years, this show brought the community closer to the game that we love....we are incredibly proud of what we built together.
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Hockey Night in Punjabi's reached far beyond just their intended audience
The statement also thanks fans for their unwavering support over the years, though support may be a key factor into why the network shuttered the program.
According to CBC, information provided to them from Sportsnet showed that the show only averaged 1,500 viewers last season, with half of all games averaging fewer than 1,000 viewers.
But over the course of those 18 years, fans were treated to a passionate crew dedicated to helping expand the game to a wider group. There are several fans who may have been on the fence about watching, but knowing it will be explained in an accessible way opened them up to watching.
Plus, there's something that makes you go a little wild as a fan when you hear Harnarayan Singh's classic 'Bonino, Bonino, Bonino' chant when Pittsburgh forward Nick Bonino scored with just over two minutes left in Game One of the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals.
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That level of passion showed that not only is this a fun and exciting sport, but it also could have led to several fans deciding to take up broadcasting themselves, all because of Singh and the Punjabi crew's ability to call games and add a familiar touch to an otherwise foreign atmosphere.
South Asian influence in Canadian hockey continues even if Hockey Night in Punjabi doesn't
While there haven't been a lot of players who have come through the NHL with South Asian heritage, there are still some trailblazers.
Manny Malhotra had a fantastic career and is now head coach of the Vancouver Canucks (his father Shadi is Punjabi), meanwhile names like Robin Bawa (the first player of Indian descent to play in the NHL), and Jujhar Khaira have also played - with Jujhar being the first ever Punjabi player to score an NHL goal.
Other names such as Kevin Bahl (with Punjabi heritage) as well as both Nick and Jordan Schmaltz (Gujarati-American) have played or are currently playing in the NHL.
It will now be up to potential other alternatives in order to get Punjabi-language hockey games. There may be something in the future that could allow Sportsnet to bring back the program - such as demand - but it isn't guaranteed.
But regardless, that doesn't mean the program didn't make a statement in their near two decades on the air. When it was announced originally, the idea of bringing hockey to a culture who was slowly acclimating to Canada seemed like a good idea, though one that may not take off.
Instead, it gave a generation and beyond an accessible, exciting way to ingratiate themselves into one of the purest parts of Canadian culture - the good ol' hockey game.
More details to come.
Do you think Hockey Night in Punjab should have stayed on the air?
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