Earlier this year, it was announced that for the first time since 1951, the CBC would not broadcast NHL hockey games for the 2026-2027 season.

Last night Dave listened to the Montreal Canadiens game on the radio (they won against the Leafs 4-2). But we couldn’t see the game. Dave said he didn’t mind listening to the play-by-play like the old days, but for me, I miss seeing all the action on the ice.

It’s the same every night. We pore through our various streaming services, hoping we might find a hockey game to watch. We’ve subscribed to Sportsnet and TSN in the past to watch the playoffs, but refuse to pay the exorbitant monthly fees being charged by the streaming oligarchs Rogers Communications and Bell Media.

A standard Sportsnet plan is $34.99. The premium package is $44.99 with  discounts for annual subscriptions. TSN is $24.99 and $29.99. That’s $75 a month if you subscribe to both services and regional blackout restrictions still apply. So even though you are paying a criminal amount of money, you may still not be able to watch your favourite team.

Blackout restrictions started in the 1950s when NHL executives feared TV viewers might hurt in-person ticket sales. They should be obsolete but the NHL, streaming services, broadcasters and advertisers are using them to blackmail consumers into subscribing to multiple streaming services.

There is an affordability crisis in NHL hockey. Most of us have given up on ever seeing a game in person with tickets starting around $200 for most clubs. Now we can’t cheer on our favourite team even on TV.

Which brings us back to the CBC. Our public broadcaster. Entire generations grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada on the CBC. Hockey is as much a defining part of our culture as the news, comedy programs, and documentaries on great Canadians. While it’s great the CBC is going to start broadcasting PWHL games this winter, we need to bring back NHL hockey on the CBC where every Canadian kid has an equal opportunity to watch their idols play our nation’s game, regardless of how rich or poor they are or where they live.

It’s time we stand up to the goons controlling hockey broadcasting in Canada and boycott TSN and Sportsnet. Let’s put the execs in the penalty box and punch them where it hurts the most, in the pocketbook. This will only work if we are on the same team. We need to be all in.

It’s time to drop the gloves and make hockey fans happy again. Boycott TSN and Sportsnet. Elbows up.