For Canadian hockey fans, the question used to be which game was on. Increasingly, it is which subscription has it—and whether the household already pays for that one.
The end of CBC’s NHL broadcast partnership makes that change especially visible. A Saturday-night habit once available through the public broadcaster now sits within a patchwork of sports channels, streaming packages and regional restrictions. A fan’s bill depends on the team, the viewer’s location and the services already in the household.
“Loyal to the oil. So I’d still pay for them,” an Oilers fan said in the CBC News Alberta report that examined the change. “It just sometimes you lose track of them.”
There is no single price that applies to every Canadian NHL fan. The useful comparison starts with what each package includes and what the household already has.
What the subscriptions cost
The following regular consumer prices were checked September 29, 2026. All amounts are Canadian dollars before applicable taxes. Promotional offers, internet charges and existing television bills are excluded.
| Service | Monthly | Annual | Hockey coverage and limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sportsnet+ Standard | $34.99 | $269.99 | Sportsnet’s national games, Monday exclusives and its regional games where eligible. Does not include Prime’s exclusive games or every local broadcaster’s regional games. |
| Sportsnet+ Premium | $44.99 | $344.99 | Adds out-of-market NHL coverage. Local blackouts and Prime exclusives still matter. |
| TSN Standard | $24.99 | Not displayed | TSN1–5 and selected Leafs, Canadiens, Senators and Jets regional games within the relevant territory. |
| TSN Premium | $29.99 | $249.99 | Includes Standard and additional sports programming. Standard already includes TSN’s listed regional NHL coverage. |
| Amazon Prime | $9.99 | $99.00 | Prime’s national Wednesday NHL package and selected playoff series. Does not replace Sportsnet or TSN. |
Sources: Sportsnet+ plans, TSN’s monthly and annual plan tabs, Amazon Prime pricing. TSN’s annual tab displayed Premium only when checked; no Standard annual price is assumed.
The cheapest advertised plan is not automatically the right purchase. TSN Standard, for example, includes the regional NHL games listed on its subscription page. Paying for Premium solely because its name sounds more comprehensive would not remove the regional restrictions on those games.
Three household budgets
These are planning examples for English-language streaming, not guarantees that one combination unlocks every matchup. They assume no existing subscriptions and seven consecutive monthly payments beginning around the September 29 season opener. The totals assume unchanged rates and continuous access into April; they do not budget for a full playoff run. They are package comparisons, not a claim that these are the lowest possible prices.
| Viewer | Packages modelled | Monthly total | Seven payments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers fan in Edmonton | Sportsnet+ Standard + Prime | $44.98 | $314.86 |
| Leafs fan in Toronto | Sportsnet+ Standard + TSN Standard + Prime | $69.97 | $489.79 |
| Fan following an out-of-market team | Sportsnet+ Premium + Prime | $54.98 | $384.86 |
Edmonton: Sportsnet’s regional Oilers rights make Standard the relevant starting point for a viewer inside the team’s territory. Prime covers its separate national window. Check each game’s listing before purchase rather than buying Premium on the assumption that a higher price is always necessary.
Toronto: Leafs regional coverage is shared between Sportsnet and TSN, with Prime’s national games separate again. The three-service example reflects that split. Sportsnet+ Premium does not substitute for TSN’s local Leafs rights. Bell Media identifies TSN’s regional teams.
Outside the market: Premium adds access to regional broadcasts from elsewhere, but a game involving a team local to the viewer can still require that local rights-holder. The $54.98 figure is therefore a starting budget; add the relevant local service when necessary. Sportsnet’s Game Finder explains those restrictions.
If the household already keeps Prime for shopping or other viewing, subtract $9.99 from the additional monthly hockey expense shown above. The membership still costs money, but it is not a new hockey purchase for that household.
Annual is not always cheaper for a seasonal viewer
Seven monthly Standard payments plus seven Prime payments total $314.86. Buying both annual plans costs $368.99. The annual combination buys more months, but costs $54.13 more than that seven-payment example.
For Premium plus Prime, the comparison is $384.86 for seven payments against $443.99 for both annual plans. Readers who watch other sports year-round may value the extra months. Those buying specifically for hockey should compare the period they actually intend to use.
A Toronto viewer choosing annual Sportsnet+ Standard, annual TSN Premium and annual Prime would spend $618.98. That comparison includes a different TSN tier and a full year of access; it is not an equivalent seven-month package.
Cable subscribers face a different calculation
Already having Sportsnet on television does not settle every night. Sportsnet says Monday Night Hockey becomes streaming-exclusive October 5. Direct Sportsnet+ subscriptions include it, while eligible television subscribers whose packages exclude it can buy a $12.99 monthly add-on. Qualifying Rogers, Rogers West and Shaw Direct customers with Sportsnet receive the exclusive content without that add-on charge. Sportsnet details eligibility here.
For a household that needs the add-on and does not already have Prime, those two extras total $22.98 monthly, on top of its television bill. Check the provider’s entitlement before purchasing a second full Sportsnet subscription.
Paying more does not erase blackouts
A regional blackout is a rights restriction, not a technical fault that another login necessarily fixes. TSN gives the example of a Toronto viewer travelling to Vancouver: the same account may no longer show a regional Leafs broadcast because the viewer has left that broadcast territory.
The practical check is the exact matchup, the viewer’s location and the package—not just the team name. Playoff coverage also needs attention: Prime’s agreement includes two first-round series and one second-round series. A regular-season subscription decision is not automatically a complete postseason plan.
The cost beyond the bill
In CBC’s Edmonton report, fans described the learning curve around apps, while the Cabin Pub and Party described managing subscriptions and a shared Wi-Fi connection during games. Commercial viewing arrangements are separate from household plans; the prices above should not be used as a pub’s licensing budget.
There is still free hockey under a familiar name. CBC and the PWHL announced eight primetime Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts, starting with Hamilton at Montréal on December 5. That is a new opportunity to watch, but it does not restore CBC’s NHL coverage. The PWHL confirmed the arrangement September 28.
Before adding another service, check what the household already receives, look up the games that matter and compare monthly payments with the annual commitment. Supporting a team is straightforward. Finding an affordable way to watch it increasingly requires homework.
