Sportsnet is heading to Saskatchewan this Saturday to celebrate the 19th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada – Canada’s biggest single-day hockey celebration. This year’s broadcast focuses on courage – a fitting theme in a province known to thrive in the face of adversity. The 12.5 hour marathon will open with an emotional tribute to first responders, including those involved in the fatal Swift Current Broncos bus crash in 1986, and the similar tragedy that the Humboldt Broncos suffered in April of last year.
Hosted live from Swift Current, SK, Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada features four must-see matchups with all seven of Canada’s NHL teams in action, beginning at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT on Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, CBC, Rogers NHL LIVE and Sportsnet NOW. Throughout the broadcast, Sportsnet will celebrate those who have discovered courage within themselves through Canada’s favourite pastime. These special features include:
- An inspiring look back at the Swift Current Broncos team that captured the hearts of Canadians by winning the Memorial Cup in 1989, just three years after four of its players were killed in a team bus crash.
- Evanka Osmak profiles the Hunter Brothers, a band of five spirited brothers from Shaunavan, SK who were raised on a farm, molded in junior hockey, and found professional success in music, without ever forgetting their roots.
- For most families, sports can be an uplifting and uniting experience. This is especially true for families with special needs children, many of whom rely on sport to form closer bonds and find encouragement through difficult times. Carly Agro takes an in-depth look at the sports industry’s attempts to make live events more accessible for these families.
- The culmination of Scotiabank’s 20-part video series, Scotiabank Heroes of Hockey Day in Canada. The winning team will travel to Swift Current to take in all the weekend’s festivities.
Ron MacLean will be on location in Swift Current to host the day-long celebration alongside several guests, including Don Cherry, and NHL alumni Wendel Clark, Lanny McDonald, Sheldon Kennedy, Darcy Tucker, Bryan Trottier, and many more. Two-time Olympic gold medallist Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Ryan Straschnitzki of the Humboldt Broncos, the Stanley Cup, and Sportsnet Central’s Ken Reid and Evanka Osmak will also make appearances throughout the day.
A special on-site activation will feature Canadian artist David Arrigo, best known for his work with the NHL, as he paints an interactive Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada mural that will be unveiled prior to the Swift Current Broncos game taking place at the iPlex. Sportsnet viewers are invited to share their favourite hockey memories, some of which will inspire the mural, using the hashtag #HockeyDay and Scotiabank will donate $1* to the NHL Foundation in support of kids’ community hockey across Canada.
In addition to activities in Swift Current, Sportsnet will also look in on celebrations happening from coast-to-coast. Locations include:
- Montreal, QC – Sportsnet’s Faizal Khamisa provides coverage of a Canadian Women’s Hockey League matchup between Les Canadiannes de Montreal and the Toronto Furies.
- Halifax, NS – Carly Agro joins NHL alum Alex Tanguay as they visit a Scotiabank community hockey festival celebrating Canada’s favourite sport.
- Whistler, BC – Tara Slone gives viewers a sneak peek at the Rogers Hometown Hockey celebrations taking place in Whistler this weekend.
Canadian hockey fans can visit Sportsnet.ca/hockeyday and use the hashtag #HockeyDay to join the conversation and connect to other fans coast-to-coast.
This year’s Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada marks the 19th edition of the national celebration. In addition to the broadcast, this year’s festivities in Swift Current include appearances by the Stanley Cup, Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada Celebrity and NHL Alumni Classic, NHL Declaration of Principles Breakfast, hockey clinics, school visits and more.
Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada Broadcast Schedule
*All games available on Rogers NHL LIVE and Sportsnet NOW
Saturday, Feb. 9
- 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT – Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada: Celebrating the Game (Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, and CBC)
Host: Ron MacLean – live from Riverdene Park in Swift Current - 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT – Winnipeg Jets @ Ottawa Senators (Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, and CBC)
Play-by-Play: John Bartlett; Analyst: GarryGalley; Reporter: Harnarayan Singh - 5:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. PT – Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada: Celebrating the Game (Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, and CBC)
Host: Ron MacLean – live from Riverdene Park in Swift Current
- 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT – Hockey Central Saturday (Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, City, and CBC)
Host: Ron MacLean; Studio Host: David Amber; Studio Analysts: Elliotte Friedman, Kelly Hrudey and Nick Kypreos
- 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – Toronto Maple Leafs @ Montreal Canadiens (Sportsnet ONE, City, and CBC)(OMNI – Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition)
Play-by-Play: Jim Hughson; Analyst: Craig Simpson; Reporter: Kyle Bukauskas
HNIC: Punjabi – Host: Randip Janda; Panel: Mantar Bhandal and Gurpreet Sian; Play-by-play: Harnarayan Singh; Analyst: Harpreet Pandher
o First Intermission: Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry and Ron MacLean, live from Swift Current
o Second Intermission: Saturday’s Headlines: Amber, Friedman, Kypreos, Chris Johnston
- 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – San Jose Sharks @ Edmonton Oilers (Sportsnet and Sportsnet 360)
Play-by-Play: Kevin Quinn; Analyst: Drew Remenda; Reporter: Gene Principe
- 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT – Calgary Flames @ Vancouver Canucks (Sportsnet,Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360 and CBC) (OMNI – Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition)
Play-by-Play: Dave Randorf; Analyst: Louie DeBrusk; Reporter: Scott Oake
HNIC: Punjabi – Host: Randip Janda; Panel: Mantar Bhandal and Gurpreet Sian Play-by-play: Harnarayan Singh; Analyst: Harpreet Pandher
- 1 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT – After Hours with Scott Oake (Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360 and CBC)