Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Credit: Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi
By Sean Keeley on

Hockey Night in Canada will still exist in some form, but Sportsnet continues to make cuts that will fundamentally change what it is.

In June, Sportsnet and CBC announced that the public broadcaster would no longer carry NHL broadcasts, which it had done since 1952. Sportsnet, which signed a 12-year, $5.2 billion exclusive deal with the NHL in 2013, had sublicensed its broadcasts to CBC to maintain the HNIC brand while producing it in-house.

However, that’s over now. And because the Hockey Night in Canada brand is owned by CBC, the broadcaster will transition it to a new form.

That also means Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi, which has been broadcast for 18 seasons, has been canceled. That news was announced on Friday.

“We’ve made the difficult decision to end our Punjabi-language NHL broadcasts,” a Sportsnet spokesperson told Daily Hive. “While 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. We’re grateful to the on-air team, production staff, and viewers who supported the show over the years.”

The Punjabi version of the program began on CBS in 2008 but moved to Rogers-owned Omni when the NHL broadcast rights moved there.

“For 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,” read a statement from Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi.

“To 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.

“Thank you for being part of our family.”

The HNIC offshoot gained notoriety over the years for the exuberant calls of announcers like Harnarayan Singh, whose “Bonino! Bonino! Bonino!” call of Penguins center Nick Bonino’s game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Finals lives in infamy.

The Punjabi version of HNIC was notable, as Canada is home to one of the largest Punjabi populations outside of India, with over 900,000 residents of Punjabi origin.

This is the latest in a series of announcements ending HNIC as Canadian hockey fans have known it. Longtime Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Kelly Hrudey announced earlier this month that his contract with Sportsnet had expired.

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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