Sportsnet ends ‘Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi’ broadcasts after 18 years on air

“Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi” won’t be back on the air when the NHL resumes this fall.

The OMNI TV production posted on social media Friday, saying “a decision has been made” that the show will not return.

“For 18 years, this show brought our community closer to the game we love,” the post said.

“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.”

The show aired on Saturday nights, providing coverage of NHL games and features from around the league in Punjabi.

Last season, Randip Janda hosted the broadcast, with Gurp Sian providing colour commentary, Harpreet Pandher serving as an analyst, and Mantar Bhandal handling play-by-play and analysis. Taqdeer Thindal also provided analysis and colour commentary, while Avjot Sodhi served as a feature commentator and producer.

A spokesperson for Sportsnet, which is also owned by OMNI’s parent company Rogers Sports & Media, said in a statement that the decision to end Punjabi-language NHL broadcasts was made because “audience levels aren’t strong enough to sustain the production long-term.”

“We know these broadcasts have meant a lot to many Punjabi-speaking hockey fans,” the statement said. “We’re grateful to the on-air team, production staff and viewers who supported the show over the years.”

According to Sportsnet, “Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi” averaged 1,500 viewers overall last season, and more than 50 per cent of games averaged less than 1,000 viewers.

The cancellation comes after a June announcement that “Hockey Night in Canada” will not air on CBC this fall following the expiration of a sub-licensing deal between the public broadcaster and Rogers Communications, which owns the NHL’s Canadian broadcast rights.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2026.