As the biggest stars of the NHL hit the ice for the opening puck drop, Sportsnet will be rinkside to deliver exclusive national English-language coverage of the 2018-19 NHL season, beginning Wednesday, Oct. 3.
As Canada’s Home of Hockey, the opening week of Sportsnet’s national NHL broadcast schedule features 11 must-see national matchups with all seven Canadian teams in action. Returning for another season, Sportsnet’s marquee nights – Hockey Night in Canada, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey and Rogers™ Hometown Hockey™ – also get underway this week and will continue to headline Sportsnet’s regular season coverage.
Some new and returning faces anchor Sportsnet’s hockey coverage this season with Jeff Marek joining Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey as host and Caroline Cameron taking on the hosting role for Hockey Central Tonight. Marek will also share hosting duties with David Amber on Hockey Central at Noon while Brian Burke joins Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday nights and the Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey panel.
Adding to its NHL lineup, Sportsnet is also launching the inaugural season of Sportsnet #IceSurfingon Twitter, beginning Tuesday, Oct. 9. Hosted by Marek alongside analyst Jason York and Steve Dangle, who will be monitoring and interacting with the show’s audience on the social platform, Sportsnet #IceSurfing provides fans with a new way to watch the sport they love. Set to stream weekly on Sportsnet’s Twitter account, #IceSurfing follows all the excitement by jumping from game to game to show highlights, provide up-to-the-minute analysis and share immediate reactions of all the evening’s biggest plays.
Below are the broadcast details and channel allocations for NHL opening week on Sportsnet. All games listed are available to stream live on Rogers NHL LIVE and Sportsnet NOW.
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT – Hockey Central @ Noon (Sportsnet ONE) (Sportsnet 590 The FAN)
- Host: Amber; Analysts: Nick Kypreos and Doug MacLean
6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT – Hockey Central Tonight (Sportsnet)
- Host: Marek; Analysts: Burke, Elliotte Friedman and Doug MacLean
7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey – Doubleheader
- Montreal Canadiens @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Sportsnet & Sportsnet 360) (Sportsnet 4K)
o Play-by-play: Jim Hughson; Analyst: Craig Simpson; Reporter: Kyle Bukauskas
Followed by
- Calgary Flames @ Vancouver Canucks (Sportsnet & Sportsnet 360)
o Play-by-play: Dave Randorf; Analyst: Louie DeBrusk; Reporter: Scott Oake
Thursday, Oct. 4
Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT – Hockey Central @ Noon (Sportsnet) (Sportsnet 590 The FAN)
- Host: Marek; Analysts: Kypreos and Doug MacLean
6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT – Hockey Central Tonight (Sportsnet 360)
- Host: Cameron; Analyst: Doug MacLean
7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – Washington Capitals @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Sportsnet 360)
10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT – Philadelphia Flyers @ Vegas Golden Knights (Sportsnet 360)
Friday, Oct. 5
Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT – Hockey Central @ Noon (Sportsnet) (Sportsnet 590 The FAN)
- Host: Marek; Analysts: Burke and Doug MacLean
10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT – San Jose Sharks @ Los Angeles Kings (Sportsnet 360)
Saturday, Oct. 6
1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT – Edmonton Oilers @ New Jersey Devils (Sportsnet)
Live from Gothenberg, Sweden
- Play-by-play: Kevin Quinn; Analyst: Drew Remenda; Reporter: Gene Principe
- Studio Host: Cameron; Analyst: John Shannon
6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT – Hockey Central Saturday
- Host: Ron MacLean; Analysts: Burke, Friedman, Kelly Hrudey and Nick Kypreos
7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – Hockey Night in Canada
- Host: Ron MacLean; Analysts: Friedman, Hrudey and Kypreos
- Coach’s Corner: Don Cherry and Ron MacLean
- Ottawa Senators @ Toronto Maple Leafs (CBC)(OMNI – Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi)
o Play-by-play: Hughson; Analyst: Craig Simpson; Reporter: Bukauskas
o HNIC: Punjabi – Host: Randip Janda; Panel: Mantar Bhandal and Gurpreet Sian Play-by-play: Harnarayan Singh; Analyst: Harpreet Pandher
- Montreal Canadiens @ Pittsburgh Penguins (City)
o Play-by-play: Bob Cole; Analyst: Garry Galley; Reporter: Christine Simpson
- Winnipeg Jets @ Dallas Stars (Sportsnet 360 & Sportsnet West)
o Play-by-play: John Bartlett; Analyst: Greg Millen; Reporter: Sean Reynolds
10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT – Hockey Night in Canada
- Host: Amber; Analysts: Burke, Friedman, Hrudey and Kypreos
- Vancouver Canucks @ Calgary Flames (CBC, Sportsnet 360 & Sportsnet West) (OMNI – Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi)
o Play-by-play: Randorf; Analyst: DeBrusk; Reporter: Oake
o HNIC: Punjabi – Host: Janda; Panel: Taqdeer Thindal and Sian; Play-by-play: Singh; Analyst: Pandher
1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT – After Hours with Scott Oake (CBC)
Sunday, Oct. 7
6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT – Rogers™ Hometown Hockey™ Pre-Game Show (Sportsnet)
Live from Kitchener, ON
- Hosts: Ron MacLean and Tara Slone
- Special Guests: Scott Stevens and Jay McKee
7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – Toronto Maple Leafs @ Chicago Blackhawks (Sportsnet)
- Play-by-play: Hughson; Analyst: Craig Simpson; Reporter: Shawn McKenzie
Tuesday, Oct. 9
7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT – Sportsnet #IceSurfing on Twitter
- Host: Marek; Analyst: York; Special Contributor: Dangle
*NOTE: Commentator and broadcast schedule is subject to change.
Sportsnet Radio Network
The Sportsnet Radio Network is the exclusive radio home of the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks this season, and a broadcast partner of the Toronto Maple Leafs. All Flames games are available on Sportsnet 960 The FAN, all Canucks games are available on Sportsnet 650, and select Maple Leafs games are available on Sportsnet 590 The FAN.
Bolstering the network’s NHL coverage, Hockey Central Saturday on The Sportsnet Radio Network returns for its second season this fall. Hosted by CBC’s Rob Pizzoand John Shannon from 5-10 p.m. and Nick Alberga and Rory Boylen from 10 p.m.- 2 a.m., the nine-hour national radio show takes fans around the NHL, checking in live on games and providing commentary and analysis. Hockey Central Saturday airs weekly from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. PT.
Digital – Sportsnet.ca & Sportsnet app
The ultimate destinations for all things hockey, Sportsnet.ca and the Sportsnet app will keep fans up to the minute with the latest news, analysis and videos:
- The Insiders: Sportsnet’s all-star roster of hockey insiders provide fans across the country with exclusive news, analysis, and opinions. Chris Johnston and Luke Fox in Toronto, Iain MacIntyre in Vancouver, Mark Spector in Edmonton, Eric Francis in Calgary and Eric Engels in Montreal will continue to bring fans in these markets, and around the NHL, the news and information that matters most to them.
- NHL Predictions: Before the puck drops on the 2018-19 season, Sportsnet’s roster of NHL Insiders and experts will share their predictions for the season ahead on a variety of topics including major award winners and who will win the Stanley Cup.
- Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool presented by RAM: Fans can set up their dream NHL roster with Fantasy Hockey. Free and easy to play, fans can compete while challenging their friends for bragging rights.
- Podcasts: 31 Thoughts The Podcast, presented by GMC: Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman take fans around the NHL for the latest news, analysis and interviews; Tape to Tape: Hosts Rory Boylen and Ryan Dixon take an expert yet fun look at the biggest issues and talking points around the NHL.
- Sportsnet NHL Live Tracker presented by WestJet: Hockey fans can stay up-to-date on all the action on the ice with the sportsnet.ca NHL Live Tracker, which features real-time team and individual stats, videos, and highlights. The live tracker is a comprehensive second-screen experience available on sportsnet.ca and within the Sportsnet app.
- Social Media: Real-time highlights and daily recaps of NHL action on Sportsnet’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
As the home of hockey, Sportsnet is the exclusive English-language national broadcast rights holder of NHL games in Canada. Sportsnet is also the official regional television broadcast rights holder for the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames (including radio rights on Sportsnet 960 The FAN), Toronto Maple Leafs (including radio rights on Sportsnet 590 The FAN) and Vancouver Canucks (including radio rights on Sportsnet 650).
Sportsnet will deliver exclusive coverage of more than 450 national and regional NHL games this season. In addition to delivering premium Canadian matchups, Sportsnet’s 2018-19 national broadcast schedule also showcases the biggest events of the NHL season, including the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic™ on January 1, the 19th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on February 9, the 2019 NHL All-Star Game from San Jose, the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.